No 3-Pointers, No Problem as Utah Valley Snaps Losing Streak
No 3-Pointers, No Problem as Utah Valley Snaps Losing Streak
Drake Allen and Trevin Dorius had a big night as Utah Valley got back in the win column.
The last time Utah Valley did not hit a 3-pointer in a game, Dick Hunsaker was the head coach, Key Arena was still around in the Pacific Northwest, and Drake Allen was in junior high.
266 games. Eight years ago. On a cold night in Seattle, Utah Valley went 0-17 from 3-point land in a 20-point loss to the Redhawks at Key Arena.
Well, the 266-game streak came to a screeching halt on Thursday night at the UCCU Center.
Okay, perhaps not a screeching halt. That might be an adjective to use had the Wolverines lost to California Baptist (8-6, 1-2 WAC) in the first game of the New Year for both teams.
However, Drake Allen continued his stellar play against the Lancers, Trevin Dorius had a double-double and Utah Valley overcame the lack of 3-pointers at the free throw line to earn a 65-58 win on Thursday night at the UCCU Center.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever coached a game where we haven’t made a 3-pointer,” Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips said.
“One, we didn’t take very many. We were getting downhill, getting to the basket, which I thought was really good. We had a couple mismatches we were playing to.”
Mismatches and getting downhill is right. Utah Valley (7-7, 2-1 WAC) had 33 points in the first half. 26 of those 33 points came in the paint. Five of the points came at the free throw line.
Just two points came outside the paint in the first half for Utah Valley.
“I think we won it in the paint, 38-18, which is really good,” Phillips said.
Not only was Utah Valley good in the paint, the Wolverines were really good defensively.
Utah Valley held California Baptist without points for a 5-minute span midway through the first half to take control.
After Dominique Daniels Jr. made one of two free throws with 12:03 remaining in the half, Utah Valley held CBU scoreless over the next four-plus minutes to take a 19-10 lead with just over eight minutes left in the half.
“We pride ourselves on our defensive efficiency,” Trevin Dorius said. “That’s been kind of frustrating the last few games. That’s one of the things we focused on these last few games. And if we hold the other team to 50 points, we can any game without hitting a 3.”
From that point on to the end of the first half, the teams were nearly even. Utah Valley outscored CBU, 14-13 down the stretch to take a 10-point lead into the break.
Out of the locker room, CBU came out with its hair on fire…almost literally if you have seen Brantly Stevenson’s fire red hair. Stevenson hit a pair of 3-pointers early, and Dom Daniels got downhill for a bucket as the Lancers opened the half on a 7-0 run and forced a quick Todd Phillips timeout.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Daniels and Stevenson gave CBU a 38-37 lead with just over 15 minutes to play. And it looked like we had a ball game.
However, after Yvan Ouedraogo hit one of two free throws with 10:22 remaining, CBU went ice cold.
Well, technically, so did Utah Valley.
Trevin Dorius threw down a dunk with 9:42 to play to give Utah Valley a 50-46 lead.
That dunk was the lone field goal for the Wolverines over the next eight minutes. Yes, Utah Valley went over eight minutes without a field goal late in the second half.
But, this is where free throws came into play. Lots of free throws.
Over that eight-minute span without a field goal, Utah Valley went 9-11 from the charity stripe to push the lead to nine with 2:47 to play.
Jaden McClanahan hit a fall away jumper to snap the 8-minute span without a field goal. And Drake Allen put the icing on the cake with a two-handed, put back dunk that made it a 10-point game with 25 seconds to play.
After averaging nearly 15 points per game in a pair of games against CBU in 2022-23, Drake Allen finished with 17 points on Thursday night against the Lancers.
Trevin Dorius had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Jaden McClanahan was also in double figures off the bench with 10 points.
Dominique Daniels finished with a game-high 20 points. Brantly Stevenson was also in double figures with 13 points. Yvan Ouedraogo finished with an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double, as well.
Utah Valley will host in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday. California Baptist heads to the Pacific Northwest to face Seattle U on Saturday evening.