PORTLAND, Ore. — Utah Valley State struggled to take care of the basketball and it cost them in a 79-57 loss at Portland on Thursday night. The Wolverines committed a season high 26 turnovers and dropped to 10-4 at the halfway point of the 2006-07 season.
It was the most lopsided loss of the season and the first road loss of the year for Utah Valley.
In the game, sophomore center Robyn Fairbanks surpassed Miriam Palkki to become Utah Valley State's all-time NCAA leader in points scored. She did it on a free throw early in the second half.
Fairbanks, who came into the game as the nation's leading scorer, led the Wolverines with 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field including 3-for-3 from the three-point line. She became the school leader in just a season and a half and now has 833 career points.
Turnovers plagued Utah Valley early and often as the team matched its season average of 16 in just one half of play. Five early turnovers helped Portland (8-6) to a quick 13-1 lead before the Wolverines could catch their breath offensively.
Fairbanks and Rebekah Peterson then knocked down back-to-back three pointers for UV to trim the lead to six. The Pilots stretched it back to 11 at 20-9 before the Wolverines had its most successful run of the half, a 9-0 spurt that got them within two.
Portland responded again though, this time increasing its lead to 14 points by the break. Mallory Schott provided a spark off the bench for Utah Valley in the first half. A native of nearby Vancouver, Washington, Schott scored her first points of the season and finished the half with five points in eight minutes of play.
Sandy Marvin was limited to just four minutes in the first half after picking up two early fouls.
Portland caught fire from the field in the second half, dashing any hopes of a Wolverine run to get back in the game. The Pilots shot 49% from the field for the game and 54% in the second half. The Wolverines hit 38% from the floor for the game and just 28% in the second half.
Jennifer Wassom, who came in to the game averaging 4.8 points per contest, had 18 to lead Portland. Rachel Warren added 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Pilots.
Utah Valley was out-rebounded 35-30 by Portland and have lost the rebounding battle in all four losses this season. They are a perfect 7-0 when out-rebounding the opponent.
The Wolverines will remain in Portland to face Portland State on Saturday at 3:00pm Mountain Time.