Feb. 7, 2008

Box Score

OREM, UT - Utah Valley's Robin Fairbanks and Julie McMurray shared game-high honors with 20 points, leading four double-figure scorers for the home team in its 78-69 win over visiting NJIT at the McKay Center Thursday night.

Fairbanks recorded her eighth double-double of the season grabbing 10 rebounds as she posted 13 of her 20 points in the second half. Point guard Sandy Marvin added 16 points while Blake Reynolds came off the bench to chip in 10 points in 12 minutes of action.

Highlander captain Katie Piekielski finished with a season-high 18 points leading NJIT's attempt to come back from a 10-point halftime deficit. Following one-point behind was Division I Newcomer of the Week Jessica Gerald with 17 points. Reserve Kehinde Oyelola posted 14 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds shooting (5-7) from the field and (3-4) from behind the arc in 12 minutes of action off the bench.

Four different Highlanders grabbed five rebounds as NJIT was outrebounded 39-28 on the boards.

Utah Valley's Marvin scored 13 of her points in the first half, as the Wolverines built a 39-29 lead at the half.

Gerald, the freshman guard, scored the first bucket of the second half as Utah Valley scored on back-to-back possessions on fast break lay-ups taking a 43-30 advantage with 17:51 remaining.

The Highlanders cut the lead down to four on a lay-up by lone senior Erika Velez, 49-45, at the 12:32 mark.

The Wolverines lead stayed in single digits up until the 9:49 mark, when Murray finished consecutive lay-ups giving Utah Valley a 60-49 lead.

First year head coach Margaret McKeon, took a 30 second timeout to gather her team. NJIT came out of the timeout with a spark and scored the next seven points of the game, cutting the lead down to four with 8:12 left.

The teams traded scores before NJIT made one last push, as Gerald sunk on a three-pointer from the left wing at 3:56, closing the gap to 62-59.

However, Utah Valley pulled away as Fairbanks scored five of the last 10 points for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines improve to 14-7 overall and 10-0 at home this season. The Highlanders who are in their second season of Division I competition fall to 6-14.

NJIT will have a quick turn-around and travel to Chicago-State for a 2:00pm (CT) tip-off on Saturday.

In the last meeting between the two teams, the Highlanders held off the late rally by Chicago State for a 66-57 victory. NJIT got 15 points from Gerald while junior guard Jackie McCaffrey added 13.