Conner Toolson steals show on Senior Night
Three Wolverine seniors were honored on Saturday night at the UCCU Center for their last regular season game in the white and green. Ben Nakwaasah, Hayden Schenck and Conner Toolson all played their last game and played in style, beating CSU Bakersfield 76-61.
All three seniors stepped onto the floor for one last time for the regular season. Guard Ben Nakwaasah played 30 minutes, scoring 11 points and five assists, guard Hayden Schenck stepped on the floor but was quickly subbed due to a recurring knee injury. Toolson played 34 minutes scoring 22 points, half of those points coming from his favorite spot on the floor, the arc.
Toolson took over the show as he has many other times this season and in his whole career as a Wolverine. This is Toolson’s third season as a Wolverine, improving each season in nearly every stat imaginable.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our guys, they just keep bringing it,” UVU head coach Mark Pope said. “These three seniors are really just incredible young men, it hasn’t been easy, they each have their own stories and challenges.”
Having secured the second seed in the conference, UVU had nothing to lose besides tying the school record for number of wins in a season at 23.
Sloppy was the name of the game for the first half of play. Sloppy defense, sloppy offense, sloppy all around for both teams. The first 20 minutes of play ended with a score of 32-27 in favor of UVU, but by looking at stats those scores might seem off. UVU shot 32 percent from the floor, and a similar 33 percent from deep. Taking a look at the numbers from the charity stripe, it’s easy to see where the points came from. Shooting 11-15 from the stripe, junior center Baylee Steele shot eight of those fifteen, and made six. CSU shot similarly, 39 percent from the field, and a poor 25 percent from deep.
The second half turned around for both teams, not only in stats, but quality of play as well. Both teams went back and forth matching shots with the exception of a four-point streak from UVU early. It wasn’t until nine minutes left of play that UVU would start their 16-point run started by two deep corner threes from junior guard Jake Toolson.
“I feel like our team has come together and we’re playing well at the right time of the year,” Conner Toolson said. “We’re going in [the WAC Tournament] with a little bit of momentum and I think that will help us be able to play well and play the right way.”
Both teams will head to Las Vegas to start their WAC tournament journey. UVU will play Kansas City on Thursday March 14 and CSU Bakersfield will play UT Rio Grande Valley same day.
Three Wolverine seniors were honored on Saturday night at the UCCU Center for their last regular season game in the white and green. Ben Nakwaasah, Hayden Schenck and Conner Toolson all played their last game and played in style, beating CSU Bakersfield 76-61.
All three seniors stepped onto the floor for one last time, guard Ben Nakwaasah played 30 minutes, scoring 11 points and five assists. Guard Hayden Schenck stepped on the floor but was quickly subbed due to a recurring knee injury, and Toolson played 34 minutes scoring 22 points, half of those points coming from his favorite spot on the floor, the arc.
Toolson took over the show as he has many other times this season and in his whole career as a Wolverine. This is Toolson’s third season as a Wolverine, improving each season in nearly every stat imaginable.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our guys, they just keep bringing it,” UVU head coach Mark Pope said. “These three seniors are really just incredible young men, it hasn’t been easy, they each have their own stories and challenges.”
Having secured the second seed in the conference, UVU had nothing to lose besides tying the school record for number of wins in a season at 23.
Sloppy was the name of the game for the first half of play. Sloppy defense, sloppy offense, sloppy all around for both teams. The first 20 minutes of play ended with a score of 32-27 in favor of UVU, but by looking at stats those scores might seem off. UVU shot 32 percent from the floor, and a similar 33 percent from deep. Taking a look at the numbers from the charity stripe, it’s easy to see where the points came from. Shooting 11-15 from the stripe, junior center Baylee Steele shot eight of those fifteen, and made six. CSU shot similarly, 39 percent from the field, and a poor 25 percent from deep.
The second half turned around for both teams, not only in stats, but quality of play as well. Both teams went back and forth matching shots with the exception of a four-point streak from UVU early. It wasn’t until nine minutes left of play that UVU would start their 16-point run started by two deep corner threes from junior guard Jake Toolson.
“I feel like our team has come together and we’re playing well at the right time of the year,” Conner Toolson said. “We’re going in [the WAC Tournament] with a little bit of momentum and I think that will help us be able to play well and play the right way.”
Both teams will head to Las Vegas to start their WAC tournament journey. UVU will play Kansas City on Thursday March 14 and CSU Bakersfield will play UT Rio Grande Valley same day.
Photo courtesy of Johnny Morris