No good away from McKay

Even though it was a home game, the women’s basketball team got the same result it has playing on the road recently: a loss.

Due to last Monday’s power outage, Utah Valley’s home match-up with Chicago State was moved to Timpanogos High School, not more than five miles from campus.

While it was technically a home loss, Utah Valley is still undefeated at 9-0 in games played on campus.

After leading 48-28 with 16 minutes remaining in the second half, the lady Wolverines seemed to pack it up and get for bed early, as Chicago State held Utah Valley to just 16 points the rest of the way and escaped with a 65-64, come-from-behind victory.

With the loss, Utah Valley has now dropped four straight – including their last seven games away from the McKay Center.

"We just didn’t match their intensity," coach Cathy Nixon said. "They had the athleticism and quickness to have another gear."
 
Unable to change the past and with a favorable schedule on the horizon, the Wolverines are a hungry basketball team ready to make a run at a 20-win season.

At 15-7 and with a schedule full of other Independents, a 20-win season appears to be within reach for Utah Valley.

"We really just need to get on track and get some confidence," Nixon said. "And unfortunately, I really felt we were in a position to do that on Monday."

One bright spot came when guard Sandy Marvin scored her 1,000-career point.

The junior finished with 18 points in the loss but missed the front end of a one-and-one at the end of the game.

Robyn Fairbanks led the way for the Wolverines with 29 points to go along with 15 rebounds. Utah Valley will have a chance to get back on the winning track Feb. 7 at home against NJIT. 

It will give the team a chance to gain the confidence that has been missing since before having more than two weeks off between games in the middle of January.