Top-seeded Utah Valley overpowers Utah Tech to advance in WAC Tournament

LAS VEGAS — Top-seeded Utah Valley proved why its No. 1 in the WAC as the team delivered a dominant 74-57 win over ninth-seeded Utah Tech in Wednesday night's quarterfinal matchup at Orleans Arena.

The win sends the Wolverines to the semifinals, marking another step in the school's quest for its first-ever WAC Tournament title.

Despite a slow start, Utah Valley (24-7) leaned on its defensive pressure and deep bench to wear down a gritty Utah Tech (7-26) team that was looking for its second upset in just two days.

The Wolverines' defense turned steals into easy transition points, and their relentless offensive attack proved too much for the Trailblazers to handle.

"We've got to guard the three and run a million screens and get those guys shots," Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips said at halftime. "If we can guard the three, we can get out and run. If they get back in the game where they do score, they can really shoot it."

Coming out of the locker room, Tanner Toolson wasted no time making an impact, converting an old-fashioned 3-point play to extend the team's lead. Osiris Grady continued to dominate both offensively and defensively, making life difficult for Utah Tech inside.

The Trailblazers found a spark five minutes into the second half, closing the gap to nine after a 3-pointer from Beon Riley and a strong finish at the rim from Samuel Ariyibi.

Ariyibi was a bright spot for Utah Tech, crashing the boards and making plays on both ends of the floor; however, foul trouble plagued the Trailblazers.

With 13 minutes to go, Utah Valley found itself in the double bonus and the Wolverines took full advantage, pushing their lead to 17 with eight minutes left.

"Our guys kind of listened to us," Phillips said. "We were yelling 'attack, attack, attack' — be aggressive into the basket."

Utah Valley's bench stepped up in a big way, with Carter Welling providing key minutes and Cory Wells coming in off the bench to drill a big 3-pointer. The Wolverines' depth proved to be the difference, allowing them to keep fresh legs on the floor and apply constant defensive pressure.

With under five minutes remaining, Utah Valley's lead extended to 21 points, sealing the game and their trip to the semifinals.

While Byrd and Riley fought hard to keep Utah Tech in the game, the Trailblazers simply couldn't find their rhythm from three, finishing just 6-of-22 from beyond the arc.

Toolson led the way with 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Byrd finished with a game-high 17 points and five rebounds for Utah Tech.

"We have a bunch of guys that can step up," Phillips said. "I thought our bench was really good tonight, so we're really proud of them."

The game opened with both teams trading baskets, and Utah Tech taking an early 10-6 lead behind strong outside shooting. The Trailblazers, one of the smallest teams in the country, struggled to get inside but made up for it beyond the arc.

Utah Valley quickly adjusted, however, surging ahead with back-to-back 3-pointers from Toolson and Ethan Green to take a 17-12 lead.

The Wolverines' defense then took over. Led by Grady's presence in the paint and a series of key steals, Utah Valley stretched its lead to 11 points before halftime.

The win keeps Utah Valley's championship hopes alive as they advance to face the winner of No. 4 Abilene Christian and No. 5 Seattle U. in the semifinals on Friday (7 p.m. MDT).

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