Reversal of fortunes for UVSC hoops squads

OREM — By the time the final buzzer sounded on Utah Valley State's fall-from-ahead 82-69 loss Friday to visiting High Point, men's basketball coach Dick Hunsaker's physical appearance mirrored his team's play.

With his sport coat removed, tie loosened, shirt untucked and hair ruffled, the usually well-groomed Hunsaker's appearance looked just as ragged as the performance turned in by his Wolverines as they got outscored by 25 points in the second half.

Conversely, UVSC women's coach Cathy Nixon's team showed some signs of life last week by ending a six-game skid and doubling its win total for the season with back-to-back home wins.

And so, with the tables turned and a reversal of fortune affected for the two Wolverine basketball teams, a clear theme emerged: while the men (6-8) aren't up to par with the 2004-05 squad that went 16-12, the women (4-9) are not the same team but in are fact far superior to their predecessors that finished last season with an abysmal 4-22 record.

"Maybe we've overachieved where we're at, and our expectations have gotten a little skewed here with what this team's abilities are," Hunsaker said following the loss to High Point. "We've got 15 games left; if we don't firm up a backbone and some energy, there's going to be a lot more nights like this."

According to Hunsaker, the problem that the men are facing does not involve specific players per se but is instead an overall lack of energy. Ironically, Hunsaker traces the origins of the present malaise back to Dec. 3 and the Wolverines' emotional 71-69 overtime win against Sacramento State.

"Russell Wesley hit a shot (at the end of regulation against Sacramento State, sending the game into overtime) that sent us into an upset," Hunsaker said. "Toughness, motivation, competitive spirit, pride, all those words you can think of, we don't seem to have any, and haven't seemed to have any for about three games."

In contrast to the men's implosion versus High Point, the UVSC women have continued to evolve while taking their lumps and patiently waiting for a starting lineup consisting of four freshmen to learn from trial-and-error.

An early payoff in Nixon's investment in playing such a young lineup came last week, when, on the heels of a six-game losing streak, the Wolverines strung together wins against Portland and Gonzaga.

Versatile senior forward Miriam Palkki (the only non-freshman in the starting five) and freshman center Robyn Fairbanks led the way for UVSC's resurgence. In the two wins, Palkki and Fairbanks each averaged 18 points and over 10 rebounds per contest.