CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- The Thunderbirds gave the WAC No. 1 ranked team all they could handle in Cedar City, nearly beating the Wolverines of Utah Valley, 68-70.

Head Coach Rob Jeter said

Top T-Birds

• Dominique Ford was phenomenal offensively for the Thunderbirds. Cashing in a season-high 28 points on 55% from the field. He also pulled down six rebounds, had two assists, and two steals.
• Tavi Jackson made multiple highlight-reel plays on his way to 16 points.
• Jamir Simpson struggled shooting the ball but led the team with seven rebounds and five assists.

Game Recap

The game started as a defensive slug-fest, with UVU holding a 9-4 lead at the under-16 media timeout. The deficit got all the way up to 13-4, and then the Thunderbirds went on a run. SUU held the Wolverines without a point for the next four and a half minutes, and the Thunderbirds were down by just one.

A jumper by Ford gave SUU a 26-21 lead with six minutes left in the first half. A layup from Jackson Holcombe made it 32-31 UVU with just 13 seconds remaining, and it seemed the Wolverines were going to take a lead into halftime, but Tavi Jackson went the length of the floor and made a ridiculous up-and-under layup, and it was the T-Birds that took a one-point lead into the break.

The second half was back and forth for the first 12 minutes, with neither team leading by more than one possession. Then, with seven minutes remaining, Tanner Toolson went on a personal 5-0 run for the Wolverines and pushed the lead to 58-50, and Coach Jeter was forced to call a timeout.

SUU got the deficit back to five, but Osiris Grady, who was 5-20 from three this year, made a corner three that put it back to an eight-point lead with five minutes left.

The lead ballooned to 11 before Ford knocked down a triple off an offensive rebound by Brock Felder. The teams exchanged free throws over the final two minutes, and a three-pointer from Jamir Simpson with two seconds left made the final score 68-70.

SUU was 8-10 from the free throw line, while Utah Valley was 20-34.

HIGHLIGHTS

Up Next

The Thunderbirds will travel to Abilene, Texas, for their next game to take on the Wildcats of Abilene Christian next Thursday, February 20, at 6:00 p.m. 

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