Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
OREM — Utah Valley was impressive in its 92-57 win over Western Colorado, but faced a new challenge in a team with a real chance to win its conference in UTEP.
The Wolverines used a 15-0 lead to open up the game to reign victorious over UTEP 89-60 to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
"It felt a lot closer than it was. It was good to play a team as talented as UTEP this early," head coach Todd Phillips said. "They turn you over and they feed on that. We did a really good job tonight in not giving them easy baskets and dunks."
Utah Valley had three players in double-figures, with Tanner Toolson, Hayden Welling, and Dominick Nelson leading the charge. Nelson led all scorers by pouring in 21 points paired with eight rebounds, Toolson provided 16 points — connecting on four 3-pointers — with Welling rounding it out with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
"This was a game we needed to set the tone. We had to come out hard and we knew this game could set the tone for the rest of the season," Nelson said. "Defense leads to transition and thats what our coach teaches. That is the best way to score."
The Wolverines went to work setting the tone early jumping out to a 9-0 run that prompted UTEP head coach Joe Golding to call a timeout. But it didn't stop the Wolverines' momentum.
UVU scored 6 more points to take a 15-0 lead six minutes into the game. UTEP's first bucket came at the 13:40 mark when Ahamad Bynum hit a corner 3-pointer.
UTEP found a way to cool the Wolverines offense down and get some points of their own, limiting the Wolverines to no field goals over the next four minutes, forcing four turnovers to crawl back within six at 18-12.
It didn't get any easier for Utah Valley as they put UTEP in the bonus with over 12 minutes to play.
The Miners continued to limit Utah Valley's field goal attempts, keeping within striking distance at 23-16 with 6:52 to play.
But the Wolverines weren't phased, going on a 10-2 run that was capped off by a Cory Wells 3-pointer to take a 33-18 lead heading into the final media timeout of the half.
The run continued with Toolson and Hayden Welling hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 40-20 lead. But the game of runs was key for UTEP, hitting back-to-back shots beyond the arc of their own, and suddenly it was a 41-28 lead with 38 seconds left in the half.
The Wolverines were able to maintain its lead through the first seven minutes of the first half when things got heated. Nelson was fouled hard when Corey Camper Jr. approached him. Osiris Grady joined the party with a shove and David Terrell Jr. pushed him back.
Bynum threw a jab punch at Grady and was also ejected for his participation along with Terrell Jr. and Grady. Majer Sullivan and Carter Welling of UVU left the bench during the scuffle and were also ejected.
"Just stay locked in. That is the main thing we talked about. That motivated us, honestly, we were up 20 and they were trying to get into something for no reason," Nelson said on the scuffle.
The bout, which took about 15 minutes to sort out, resulted in the Wolverines having just 10 players total with 12 minutes to play.
The Wolverines, however, came out with intensity by taking a 22-point lead with a Hayden Welling 3-pointer.
By the 11 minute mark, both teams had combined for 20 fouls in the first half, 45 combined for the game.
While Utah Valley was not allowing the Miners to come back, they weren't pulling away by any means. The Wolverines consistently maintained anywhere between a 15 and 20 point lead, but nothing more. Offensive turnovers and missed free throws limited UVU from extending its lead.
Utah Valley was able to extend its lead by hitting three straight 3-pointers to come out with an 89-60 win over UTEP.
Conference USA and the Western Athletic Conference agreed to a two-game nonconference schedule where teams play a home-and-home against the other conference; it also highlights one of the biggest home games Utah Valley will have this nonconference season.
The Wolverines wont return home until Dec. 11 against North Dakota who they play on Nov. 14 as well in a home-and-home agreement.
