UVU basketball: Wolverines look to stay perfect in GWC play

HOUSTON — After notching its seventh straight victory on Thursday night, the Utah Valley University basketball team will finish up the first half of Great West Conference play Saturday night at Houston Baptist.

Both teams used late runs to pick up conference wins on Thursday night; the Wolverines (14-10, 4-0) defeated Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas, while the Huskies (7-14, 1-3) topped North Dakota in Houston.

"We know that, coming off of their first conference win, HBU will have renewed confidence," said UVU coach Dick Hunsaker. "Coach (Ron) Cottrell's teams always play with great tenacity, really work hard defensively and provide a lot of difficult matchups for us."

The Wolverines remained unbeaten in league play thanks in large part to a late 14-0 run that turned a five-point deficit into a nine-point lead.

In HBU's win on Thursday night, Art Bernardi scored 19 points and Terry Bembry added 17 in a 69-62 win over North Dakota. Marcus Davis leads the Huskies with averages of 12.9 points and 5.8 rebounds.

Today's game marks the second of four straight GWC road games for Utah Valley. Next week the Wolverines make their East Coast swing at NJIT (Feb. 9) and at Chicago State (Feb. 11).

Wolverines on the air

Utah Valley (14-10, 4-0) at Houston Baptist (7-14, 1-3)

Today, 6 p.m. MT

Sharp Gymnasium, Houston

Radio: 960 AM

T-Birds on the air

Southern Utah (12-11, 7-6) at S. Dakota St. (18-6, 10-2)

Today, 6:30 p.m. MT

Frost Arena, Brookings, S.D.

Radio: 91.1 FM