Utah Valley Stays Perfect With Overtime Win Over Sam Houston State
Nov 9, 2023, 8:39 PM | Updated: 8:43 pm
UVU center Trevin Dorius vs. Sam Houston State on November 9, 2023 (Courtesy of Utah Valley Athletics)
(Courtesy of Utah Valley Athletics)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Valley men’s basketball team earned its second victory of the 2023-24 season with an overtime victory on the road against the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
UVU wins in OT
The Bearkats hosted the Wolverines at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas on Thursday, November 9.
UVU beat Sam Houston State in overtime, 79-73.
Final.#EatEmUpKats pic.twitter.com/4SNLHOnEHz
— Sam Houston Men's Basketball (@BearkatsMBB) November 10, 2023
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It was a tightly contested game throughout the evening. Neither team led by more than 10 points at any point. During the first 20 minutes of action, the two teams played within a possession or two of each other. At halftime, the Bearkats owned a 27-24 lead.
Halftime flicks in Texas! 📸#GoUVU | #ValleyForged pic.twitter.com/fhwxFgGCHK
— UVU Men’s Basketball (@UVUmbb) November 10, 2023
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Following the break, the Wolverines and Bearkats stepped up on the offensive end. Utah Valley built a double-digit lead midway through the second half before Sam Houston State battled back.
With 1:41 left in the second half, the Wolverines took a 10-point lead on a pair of free throws by Trevin Dorius. However, UVU closed out the final 1:41 in poor fashion. With 15 seconds remaining, Lamar Wilkerson hit a three-pointer to tie the game and cap a 10-0 run by the Bearkats to end regulation.
Despite the poor close to the second half, the Wolverines won the overtime period by outscoring the Bearkats, 15-9. UVU closed the game on a 6-0 run with three trips to the foul line in the final 24 seconds of OT.
Utah Valley finished the game shooting 53.4 percent overall but only 15.8 percent on three-pointers. Sam Houston shot 34.4 percent from the field, including 25.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Five Wolverines scored in double figures. Dorius led Utah Valley with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Wilkerson had 20 points to lead the Bearkats.
The Utah Valley men's basketball team has released its 2023-24 schedule, featuring non-conference games against Sam Houston, Charlotte, Weber State, Oregon State, Utah, Liberty, and Boise State.#UVUhoops | #ValleyForgedhttps://t.co/JCHTTFJ8RV
— UVU Men’s Basketball (@UVUmbb) August 21, 2023
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With the win, the Wolverines improved to a 2-0 record.
Utah Valley’s next game is on the road against the Charlotte 49ers on Wednesday, November 15 at 5 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Kyle Ireland is a Sports Producer and Locals in the NFL Insider for KSLSports.com. He’s also co-host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on X/Twitter (@kyleireland), Instagram (@kyleirelandksl), and Threads (@kyleirelandksl).
