UVU stumbles in road loss

BAKERSFIELD — Utah Valley University dropped its first game of the season Tuesday night with a 58-51 loss to Cal State Bakersfield.

Justin Baker paced the Wolverines with 10 points, while Tyray Petty had nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

Utah Valley (1-1) led by three at the break at 31-28 and maintained it until the 10:59 mark of the second half when Santwon Latunde, who had 18 in the game, hit two free throws to give the Roadrunners (1-1) the lead for good at 40-39.

UVU shots 38.8 percent from the field in the contest and Bakersfield shot 32.3 percent, including 4-of-24 from the 3-point line.

SOUTHERN UTAH 68, MCNEESE STATE 59: At Honolulu, Jake Nielson scored 29 points and Davis Baker added 20 as Southern Utah claimed the consolation championship of Hawai'i's Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic late Monday with a 68-59 victory over McNeese State.

Although Southern Utah trailed throughout the first half it didn't ever fall behind by more than eight and cut the deficit to 30-25 at halftime.

The Thunderbirds went on to dominate in the second half, outscoring the Cowboys 43-29. Nielson scored 17 of his points after the break while Baker had 14 of his in the second half.

Southern Utah out-scored McNeese 10-5 to open the second half, tying the game at 35-35 on a Baker jumper with 11:45 to play.

The Thunderbirds then took their first lead, 39-37, on a Matt Massey jumper, and went on to build a 48-38 advantage with 7:43 to play before holding off the Cow boys down the stretch.