Weber State women’s basketball tops Utah Valley to win home opener
Freddie Lacey, FBL Photography/for Weber State Athletics
Weber State guard Taylin Smith (3) shoots over Utah Valley's Kylee Mabry (1) on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.Weber State women’s basketball picked up its first win of the 2022-23 season, rallying in the third quarter to take control and defeat Utah Valley 55-44 in a low-scoring contest Saturday afternoon at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.
Utah Valley (1-3), who came to WSU after a 50-point loss to Utah and a 44-point loss to UNLV, led 25-24 at halftime after a second quarter in which each team scored only six points.
Weber State (1-2) inched ahead in the third quarter on a bucket and two free throws from Jadyn Matthews to lead 32-30. The Wildcats then held the Wolverines to zero field goals and three points over the next 11:10 of game time.
That helped WSU mount an 18-1 run starting midway through the third quarter and ending midway through the fourth. Vicky Parra scored on an offensive-rebound putback, Matthews scored in the paint and Laura Taylor knocked down a 3-pointer to start the rally and make it 41-30 at the end of the third quarter.
Daryn Hickok continued the run in the fourth quarter by scoring from deep, followed by two paint buckets from Amelia Raidaveta and one more from Matthews to end the run with a 50-31 lead.
WSU only managed five points over the game’s final 5:19. An 11-0 UVU run cut the score to 50-42 but, after WSU missed three consecutive free throws, Matthews and Taylor each went 2 for 2 in the final minute to secure the win.
Matthews led Weber State with 16 points and eight rebounds, shooting 5 of 7 from the field, adding one block and one steal. Hickok added 12 points, two rebounds and three assists.
Taylor tallied 11 points, making three of her team’s four 3-pointers. Parra finished with six points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
For Utah Valley, freshman guard and Davis High alumnus Kylee Mabry, who starts for the Wolverines, totaled four points, one rebound and one steal in 19 minutes. Jaeden Brown was the only UVU player in double figures, scoring 13 points while grabbing nine rebounds.
Both teams committed 17 turnovers.
Weber State next travels to Providence, Rhode Island, for a post-Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Providence College. WSU plays Bryant on Friday, host Providence on Saturday and takes on Hartford to close the trip Sunday.