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Show B6 Sports MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 • THE COLLEGE TIMES 25 and counting 2007-08 RECORD 15-14 At Home 9-3 Away 5-11 Neutral 1-0 With a win in its season finale, the men's basketball team claimed its 25th winning season in a row Ben Webster Sports editor There was more than a single win or loss riding on the men's basketball team's final game of the season against Cal State Bakersfield. The state's longest streak of winning seasons was on the line. Going into the game, Utah Valley was 14-14 and easily handled the Roadrunners to claim a 25th winning season in a row. 'That [getting a winning seasonj was really important for us." senior forward Jordan Brady said. "That was definitely the focus for this game, to get that win and come out on top." At one point in the season, that streak was in serious doubt. After a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette in January, the team was 6-13. With a five-game losing streak and a four-game losing streak be, hind them, the Wolverines finished the season winning nine of their final 10 games. The only other time in the season Utah Valley had a winning record during the season was after a win over NAIA Great Falls, five games into the season. It's no coincidence those final 10 games came against fellow Independent teams. It was early in the season, with a majority of games on the road against Western Athletic Conference, Big East and other mid-major teams when the Wolverines struggled. After beating Great Falls to improve to 3-2, the team lost to San Francisco by five, gave away a home game to Portland State in overtime, then dropped games to Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and another home game to Boise State. It took heroics from ju- nior Ryan Toolson to end the skid. Against Southern Utah, Utah Valley trailed by as many as 15 points, but Toolson forced overtime with a contested three-pointer, and he wasn't close to being finished. Toolson forced a second overtime with another threepointer and finished off the Thunderbirds with yet another three-pointer to give Utah Valley a much-needed win in December. Toolson finished with a then-careerhigh 35 points in the 91-88 win. Toolson finished the season averaging a team high 23.4 points per game, eighth in the nation in Division 1. Toolson's list of impressive games included a career high and school record, tying 38 points in an overtime win against Chicago State, and Set MEN'S BASKETBALL • BS TEAM LEADERS ASSISTS Ryan Toolson 23.4 per game Josh Olsen 3.1 per game Josh Olsen 45 total touts Jordan Brady 8.4 per game Joe Walker 27 total Ken Hoglund / College Timei Senior forward Jordan Brady throws down a hammer dunk in the team's final game of the season against Cal State Bakersfield. Seniors say Ken Hoglund / College Times Seniors (from left to right) Joe Walker, Jordan Brady and Richard Troyer receive a plaque and a picture with Director of Athletics Mike Jacobsen before the team's final game of the season. Seniors show off in finale Ben Webster Sports ednof There will be no more college basketball for two seniors who were honored in the final men's game of the season. They didn't go out quietly. Jordan Brady and Richard Troyer helped Utah Valley to a winning season in a 78-51 win against Cal State Bakersfield. This win makes it 25 straight winning seasons for the men's basket- ball team. Brady had a career-high 17-rebound performance to go with 19 points while Troyer added 13 points that included three 3-pointers. "I'm happy for our kids and for our seniors," Utah Valley coach Dick Hunsaker said. "Richard had a great defensive game for us, and Jordan Brady had a superb game. It means a lot for our guys to get a winning record as they help build a winning tradition during these transi- tional years." It was Brady, with No. 32 banners in the stands and extra family on hand, who sparked the Wolverines with a second-half dunk that broke the game open for Utah Valley. The Wolverines outscored Bakersfield 46-22 in the second half. "We played arguably our best half of the season," Hunsaker said. Troyer, from Belize, finished the game 5 of 14 from the field but played nervous in the first half with his parents watching him play in college for the first time. "I missed a couple shots in the first half, but I calmed down in the second half," Troyer said. Troyer is just the second player to play all four years at the Division I level for the school. This season he averaged 9.8 points and five rebounds per game. For Brady, there were no nerves playing in his final game after two seasons at Utah Valley. Brady, from Vernal, Utah, played for Salt Lake Community College before transferring to play for the Wolverines. This season he averaged 11.2 points per game and lead the team in rebounds with 8.4 a game, "I've been lucky to have the career I've had," Brady said. "To be able to come out and have a game like this in my last game in college, it really does mean a lot." Brady said if an oppor- tunity to continue playing basketball comes, he would love to do it after he graduates in April. Troyer, who has played for the Belize national team, said he likes Utah and might stay for a while, and, if the national team calls, he'll play for them again. Last season both seniors helped the Wolverines to a 22-7 record, the best Independent record since Notre Dame went 23-6 in 1985-86. |