Unkind road making season less memorable

The women’s basketball team hasn’t won a road game since beating Air Force on Dec. 1. It was the team’s eighth win to start the season.

How things have changed. Including last week’s road loss to the New Jersey Institute of technology, the women have lost seven straight road games.

Against NJIT, despite 34 points, 17 rebounds and career high six blocks from forward Robyn Fairbanks, Utah Valley’s road woes continued with an 82-72 loss. Fairbanks hit 16-of-25 from the field and recorded her 11th double-double of the season.

NJIT (8-16) won its second straight and first in four tries against Utah Valley. The Highlanders had six players in double figures led by Jessica Gerald’s 16 points. Taiwo Oyeloloa had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Julie McMurray was the only other Wolverine in double figures, finishing with 15, while Rebekah Peterson had six points and four steals off the bench.

Turnovers hindered both ball clubs as UV gave it away 25 times, compared to 22 by NJIT. The Highlanders also won the rebounding battle, 46-39.

As a team, NJIT was a near perfect 25-for-26 (96.2 percent) from the free-throw line and sank several key free throws to put the game away late, including a perfect 12-for-12 in the final 2:01.

Utah Valley plays host to Cal State Bakersfield in its season finale Saturday at 3 p.m.

Utah Valley lost to CSU Bakersfield on the road earlier this season 94-78. Fairbanks scored 20 points and had nine rebounds in the loss. That game came after the Wolverines had more than two weeks off.

The women are 11-0 this season in the McKay Center.
Saturday’s game will be the first in a basketball double header. After the women’s games, the men will also play against CSU Bakersfield to finish their season.