ST. GEORGE, Utah — Utah Valley survived a furious fourth-quarter rally by Dixie State to pick up a much-needed win in WAC play, 68-65, on Monday afternoon in Burns Arena. It was the first Old Hammer Rivalry game, and the first game at the NCAA Division I level, between the former junior college rivals.

Josie Williams notched her 10th double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds while Maria Carvalho finished with 17 points and eight rebounds and Madison Grange added 13 points and five assists as the Wolverines (6-9, 1-3) snapped their six-game losing streak and earned their first conference win. Ally Blackham also scored eight points and Shay Fano added seven points and six rebounds for UVU.

UVU led 62-45 with just over eight minutes left in the game before the Trailblazers (6-10, 2-3) came all the way back with 17 straight points over the next six minutes to tie it. Williams scored five points over the final two minutes including two free throws with two seconds to go to give the Wolverines a three point lead.

“As much as I’d like to see us win more comfortably after having the lead, I was proud of the way we fought through some adversity and found a way to get a win. Especially after the last month,” said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. “Give credit to Dixie State, they changed things up on us defensively and once we missed a couple of shots they really got some momentum. Our ability to get to the line and get a late bucket down low from Josie really were the plays of the game. It’s all about wins so we’ll take it and move on.”

Emily Isaacson led all scorers with 19 points for Dixie State while Shanaija Davison and Breaunna Gillen both scored 16. Isaacson also pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and Gillen grabbed eight boards and dished out a game-high six assists.

Davison got going early, scoring 11 of Dixie State’s first 13 points and including seven straight to turn a 10-6 UVU lead into a 13-10 advantage for the Trailblazers. With the Wolverines down 21-19 with under a minute to go, Fano scored on a after an offensive rebound to tie the game and Carvalho capped a big opening quarter with a defensive rebound at one end and a pull up jumper at the other. Carvalho’s bucket gave her 10 in the first and gave UVU a 23-21 lead after one.

Utah Valley scored seven quick points in the first 90 seconds of the second quarter to extend the run to 12-0. Williams buried a three from the top of the arc and scored down low with her left hand before a Blackham steal ended with a putback from Carvalho for a 30-21 Wolverine lead.

Dixie State chipped away and got within two, 35-33, but Blackham hit her second three of the half and Grange scored on a reverse layup to push it back to seven. Utah Valley went into the break with a 42-35 lead behind 12 points from Carvalho while Davison also led the Trailblazers with 12, all of which came in the opening quarter.

Tahlia White began the third with a corner three to give UVU its biggest lead to that point, 45-35. The Wolverines led by eight, 51-43, before reeling off seven in a row to build a 58-43 advantage. Grange knocked down UVU’s ninth 3-pointer of the game, Carvalho hit a jumper just outside the free-throw line and Grange stole it on one end and then scored from Blackham on the other. The Wolverines led 48-35 after three.

Utah Valley pushed it to 17, 62-45, when Blackham stole it and went the distance for a layup before Dixie State made its big run. Isaacson scored the first eight points, including two 3-pointers, and Davison got her first points since the opening quarter to make it 62-55 with just under five minutes to go.

Breaunna Gillen scored the next five, burying a deep 3-pointer to get the Trailblazers within two, 62-60, with 2:46 to go. A Davison layup completed the run and tied it at 62-62. Williams and Carvalho both got to the line and split their attempts, before Williams scored on a feed from Grange to give UVU a 66-62 lead with 16 seconds left. Isaacson hit a 3-pointer with under nine seconds left to get Dixie State back within a point before Williams converted both free throws with less than three seconds on the clock and a desperation heave was wide by the Trailblazers.

The Wolverines will head to Texas for two games in WAC play this weekend, starting Thursday at UT Rio Grande Valley. They’ll also play at conference newcomer Lamar on Saturday afternoon before returning home to host Seattle U next Monday afternoon.

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