UVSC star Price is going out with a bang

Utah Valley State fans had the opportunity to watch Ronnie Price play for the last time at home Saturday in a game that proved to be the perfect showcase for the team's lone senior.

With Utah Valley State trailing by three early in the second half, Price scored 14 of the Wolverines' next 16 points. Six minutes later, the Wolverines held onto a comfortable 10-point lead. UVSC cruised to a 71-52 victory over Northern Colorado, led by Price's season-high 36 points.

Price scored the last of his 27 second-half points with 39 seconds left as he created a 6-foot separation between him and his defender with his signature crossover and nailed his sixth 3-pointer.

Wolverine head coach Dick Hunsaker immediately took Price out of the game to the chants of "Ronnie's Priceless." After Price kissed the "UV" at center court, he and Hunsaker embraced on the sideline for several moments.

"What a fairy-tale ending for a fairy-tale career for Ronnie Price," an emotional Hunsaker said after the game. "It's more than a dream come true."

Said Price: "The most exciting game ever. I can't even talk. It meant everything. I love my teammates. I love my coaching staff. I'm going to miss playing in this place. It was very emotional."

For the big game in his UVSC home finale and because he averaged 27.3 points during the month, Price has been named the Deseret Morning News' athlete of the month for February. He edged out other nominees, including Lance Allred (Weber State basketball).

Price plays the final games of his collegiate career this week as Utah Valley State visits Longwood tonight and Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday afternoon.

Who would have imagined this collegiate fairy-tale ending to a high school senior from Friendswood, Texas, standing just 5-foot-8?

Upon graduating from Clear Brook High School, Price walked on at Nicholls State. After scoring 11.3 points per game, sprouting to his current height of 6-foot-2 and being named the team's freshman of the year, he felt the situation wasn't for him.

Not wanting to lose a year of eligibility, Price enrolled at Utah Valley State College, then a junior college.

"It seems like I just came to Orem two weeks ago for the first time," he said.

Price made an immediate impact, scoring 15.3 points per game as a sophomore. In Utah Valley State's first season at the Division-I level, Price led the 23-5 team with 20.2 points per game.