“We split during the regular season and this time, I thought we needed to play with much higher energy,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “We didn’t play as well in the first half but in the second half, we played much better, more aggressively, and had a very good run in the middle of the second half. Taelor [Ross] ran the floor really well and attacked the basket and, defensively, blocked some shots. Kaylee [Best] hit three key free throws after being fouled shooting the three.”
Trailing by eight with 13:51 remaining, the Redhawks would answer with a 9-1 run over the next three minutes to tie the game at 44 halfway through the second half and regain the lead, 46-44 at 10:03 on a Ross jumper.
Karlee Norris layed in back-to-back baskets after a Rhaiah Spooner-Knight jumper to put Utah Valley back up by four, 50-46, but a key UVU foul on a three-pointer set up the beginning of a Redhawk comeback. Best hit all three free shots at 7:28 as SU trailed by one and gave the Redhawks the lead for good, 52-50, on a three-pointer at 6:05.
Seattle U built their lead to six two different times in the minute following the 4:33 mark and would lead by as many as seven, 63-56, with 41 seconds remaining. The Wolverines scored six straight to trail by one but Makenna Clark (Lake Tapps, Wash.) hit a key free throw and the Redhawks got a key defensive stop to pull out the win.
“It was a little scary down there down the stretch,” Bonvicini continued. “But this is about surviving and advancing and I’m very pleased to be in this position.”
SU won the tip and earned a small lead early in the game before the Wolverines took the lead two minutes later. The game tied five times in the opening 10 minutes of the contest, the Redhawks would earn five two-point leads in the same span, leading again 14-12 with nine minutes until half on a Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) jumper.
Sam Loggins hit a jumper at 7:43 to tie the game once more and the Wolverines would lead by as many as six, 20-14, at 5:26 on a layup and two free throws from Loggins.
Seattle U cut their deficit to two twice in the final 3:09 until halftime with two-point contributions from Ross, Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) and Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas) and Allen would bring the Redhawks within three at half, 27-24, with a jumper at the shot clock buzzer with three seconds remaining.
Utah Valley led by as many as eight four different times in the first seven minutes of the second half, the final time, 43-35, on a three-pointer from Rebecca MaWhinney at 13:51.
Ross recorded her fourth career double-double, tying career highs with 22 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 11-for-19 from the field, also adding five blocks and three steals. Best (16 pts) also scored in double figures for the Redhawks.
Four different Wolverines scored in double figures led by Loggins (12 points, 11 rebounds) and MaWhinney (11 points, 10 rebounds) with double-doubles.
The teams each pulled down 42 rebounds as the Redhawks led in shooting from the field (26-for-60, 43.3 percent) and from the line (10-for-15, 66.7 percent).
Seattle U is set to face No. 1 New Mexico State in the WAC semifinals on Friday, Mar. 13 at 12 noon. The game will be broadcast on the WAC Digital Network, which can be streamed via computer, phone, or tablet at www.wacsports.com/watch.