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OREM — Due to a scheduling conflict, Utah Valley and Bethesda opted to play a game where both teams had played less than 18 hours prior to their previous game.
Bethesda, who reigns from Anaheim, California, played Southern Utah on Friday afternoon, where Utah Valley had just finished up against Loyola Marymont on Friday night in Orem.
For Utah Valley, the team showed no problem in the quick turnaround as they crushed the Lion Angles 89-56, forcing 30 turnovers while putting up their second highest win total this season.
Kennedy Carlyle was a big factor for Utah Valley with a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Wolverines move to 5-1 on the year, already half way to their 2023 win total of 10 wins.
"If you told me at the beginning we would be 5-1, I would take it and run with it," head coach Dan Nielson said after the win.
The Wolverines played a close game versus LMU on Friday night, taking it down to the wire where they eventually lost by eight.
"I thought once we built a big lead we got complacent," Nielson said. "Some good lessons learned this weekend but it is still nice to win."
Utah Valley gave the Lion Angels problems early, setting up a half court trap that forced three turnovers in the first three possessions of the game. Utah Valley soared to a 12-4 lead early on.
The lead swelled into a 24-6 lead in the first quarter, going on a 12-0 run over three minutes. Throughout the rest of the quarter, Utah Valley continued to use its size and speed to hold a 30-9 lead after 10 minutes.
Forward Gracie Sorenson had a field day in the paint, scoring eight points while grabbing four rebounds in six minutes of play, nearly outscoring the Lion Angels herself.
The second quarter, however, led the Lion Angels to find some offensive identity by nearly outscoring the Wolverines in the quarter by hitting four 3-pointers, narrowly losing the quarter 19-17.
Utah Valley's dominance continued in the second half, continuing too score at-will in the paint with eight points in the paint.
The Wolverines maintained a 30-point lead for most of the second half, controlling the game from start to finish due to the Lion Angels playing just four players due to foul outs and injuries.
