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Show B7 SPORTS Ray paves Utah Valley represents way to 1st at preseason WNIT at Omaha Ray takes first at Kaufman-Brand Open now and it doesn't matter if the guy's ranked first in the Asst. Sports Editor country or unranked." Two contagious factors Kjar placed second in are in play for the Wolver- the 125-pound class, while ine grapplers right now: the Josh Wilson (149) took belief they can nationally fourth and Jeb Clark (165) contend and the injury bug. placed fifth. The latter they would Wilson's success on just as soon leave behind. the mat comes as a longThe former, according to awaited result. The sophoCoach Greg Williams, is more grappler redshirted something that needs to his freshman year before continue filtering down the sitting out last season as a entire roster. medical redshirt due to a It has already started at knee injury. the top. One week after Ben Wilson's strides come Kjar won first in his weight despite a strained hamclass at Laramie, Wyo., se- string, which forced him nior Flint Ray did the same to forfeit the third-place at the Kaufman-Brand match. His is just one of the Open in Omaha, Neb. several injuries that have The senior 133-pounder hit the Wolverines in recent went 5-0 en route to his weeks. title, dominating his way Clark is dealing with into a final he would win via juries to his shoulders, back injury default. Ray's per- and hamstring. Junior Brad formance strengthened his Darrington (174) is battling own self-assurance as a po- knee and shoulder issues, tential All-American. and fellow 174-ppunder "I think what I can take Casen Eldredge is just refrom [Omaha] is a lot of turning from an injury he confidence," Ray said. "I still hasn't fully recovered know that I'm on that level. from. Phillip Sorensen When you get a roll go- (197) is also coming back ing, you start feeling good after three weeks off due to about your wrestling, and injury. that confidence kind of rolls "Conditioning wise, over to the next match." we're where we need to That confidence, a fo- be," Williams said. I ' m cal point during the off- happy with where we are. I season, has beentvidenrto dorr*rthink there's a Tofftrf" Williams since the season things we have to get done. before the end of the year." started. "[Flint's] been wrestling "We mostly just have all fall like he's going to to get healthy, and we'll be win when he steps out there ready." no matter who he wrestles," Williams said. "That's a big step. He can go out there By Matt Petersen uvu Wednesday, Dec. 8 Men's Basketball at University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City. Missouri 6:05 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9 Women's Basketball vs. BYU UCCU Center 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11 Women's Basketball at Southern Utah University Cedar City Men's Basketball at University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 6 p.m. Wrestling at UNK Loper Open Kearney, Nebraska All Day \> Shane Maryott/UVU Review Sophmore guard Cydne Mason passes around an Aggie in last Wednesday's game. By Kira Terry Coach Cathy Nixon. "It was a great honor for us to represent Utah Valley in a Mid-November saw tournament like that and I the women's basketball think the girls gained a lot team head to the Preseason from it." Women's National InvitaThe lady Wolverines tion Tournament to repre- started out against South sent Utah Valley for the first Dakota State on Nov. 12, time. but weren't able to keep up "I feel like it was a great with them as the Wolvercompliment, mostly to our ines shot 27 percent from1 ~teams in the past," said the floor to the Jackrabbits Sports Editor 60 percent, letting them take the game with a 49-point lead,87-38. UVU then moved into the consolation bracket where they next prepared to face Lamar in Beaumont, Texas, on Nov. 19. The lady Cardinals used Utah Valley's 23 turnovers against them to secure them the 83-66 win, despite a Wolverine comeback effort in the second half. Despite the loss, the lady Wolverines posted high; stats. Junior All-star Jenna; Johnson led Utah Valley; with 19 points and seven: rebounds, while sopho-; more Kaycee Mansfield and sophomore transfer Sammie Jensen followed with 16 points apiece. The following day, the lady Wolverines would have one final competition in the WNIT tournament, as they were granted at least three games. Utah Valley met Austin Peay looking to take a win away from the WNIT competition. Despite holding a six-point lead in the final four minutes, they weren't able to take the win from Austin Peay, finishing 7369. Four players on Nixon's squad finished against Austin Peay in double figures. Jensen lead the lady Wolverines with 19 points and nine rebounds and was followed by sophomore transfer Abbie Beutler adding 13 points and five rebounds, freshman Kim Bell with 12; points and six rebounds and Johnson with 10 points and three rebounds. Despite the three-game loss in WNIT play, Nixon doesn' t regret taking her squad to compete. "It was a really good experience for us," Nixon said. "We played some really good teams, played some conference champions and teams that competed in the tournament and my hope for this team is that we'll start" to translate some of that experience onto the basketball -floor." ' • : Men's basketball knocks opponents socks off By Mike Sanborn The Wolverines repeated their 50 percent shooting Sports Writer performance while holding After opening the season Northern New Mexico to with a rough 0-3 start, the only 24.6 percent. Baker contributed to men's basketball team ralthe stifling defensive play, lied together to put up backposting three blocks with to-back, dominating wins at 10 rebounds. UVU pulled home before grinding out a down 55 total rebounds for narrow victory over Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., the game. Following these two big Dec. 1. wins, UVU took to the road The Wolverines took travelling to Oregon State's the court the day after Gill Coliseum to take on the Thanksgiving, facing off against La Sierra in the Beavers. The men struggled on UCCU Center. UVU built the road last year, winning up a solid lead early, shootonly a single away game ing 50 percent and accruing all season. Facing one the 54 total rebounds on their most challenging road tests way to a 93-46 win. The team played a well-. of the season, the Wolvercoordinated game together ines were able to grind out a as they posted the second- close 70-68 win. Despite some close highest assist total in school play, OSU ended the first history with 28. Senior Justin Baker put half with a 33-26 lead. UVU up his first double-double of refused to give the game to the season, coming off the the Beavers, stepping up bench with 15 points and 11 their play and out-reboundrebounds. Isaiah Williams ing the Beavers 29-11 in the led the Wolverines in points second half. As the game entered the with 19, while Geddes Robfinal minutes, UVU held a inson and Shawn Deadwiler narrow.one-point lead over also shot in the double digOregon State before extendits. ing it to six with a 3-pointer Continuing the strong offensive and defensive play by Holton Hunsaker and a on Nov. 25, UVU crushed driving shot by Robinson. An OSU rally tied the Northern New Mexico in an game at 68 with 10 seconds 87-37 blowout. left when they fouled JorThe team managed to dan Swarbrick to stop the spread the ball around, with eight players scoring at least clock. His two free throws seven points. Williams led returned the lead to UVU the team jn points again with now up 70-68, leaving the 15. Robinson barely missed Beavers enough time for out on his iftst double-dou- one final play. An off target ble, scoring nine points with shot ended the game, giving the win to UVU. 11 rebounds. V Kira Terry/UVU Review Senior Jordan Swarbrick finshed with 20 points against Oregon State University. Williams once again led the team in points, scoring 22 in the game. The other star was Swarbrick, who added 20 points and 11 rebounds'on his way to a, double-double. UVU will play the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Cincinnati on the road next week. They will play six more games over winter break, including a huge home game against Utah .State on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. |