Feb. 7, 2012

UVU Game Notes

OREM, Utah -- A week removed from a 66-51 home victory over Texas-Pan American, the Utah Valley women's basketball team begins its second swing through league play when NJIT and Chicago State visit the UCCU Center this week. UVU and NJIT square off Thursday night at 7 p.m. and Saturday's game against CSU tips at 3 p.m.

Live stats, audio and video of both games can be found at WolverineGreen.com and Saturday's game will also be televised live locally on UVU-TV.

Last Thursday night, the Wolverines (11-10, 3-1 GWC) controlled the game from start to finish led on their way to a 66-51 win over UTPA. UVU never trailed and led by as many as 25 points. Sammie Jensen recorded her sixth consecutive double-double, scoring 21 points to go with 10 rebounds. Whitney Jenkins also scored 12 points.

Jensen's latest double-double, her 12th on the year, places her seventh nationally for most double-doubles, while her team-high 10.7 rebounds per game ranks 17th in the country.

For the season, UVU is led by Jensen's 14.6 points per game and Jenna Johnson's 8.0 ppg. Kaycee Mansfield is second on the team in rebounding, grabbing 5.8 boards per contest.

About NJIT
NJIT (8-14, 2-3 GWC) comes to Orem having lost its last three contests, most recently an 86-70 decision at Chicago State last Saturday. In that game, freshman guard Sarah Olson scored 18 points for the Highlanders while leading scorer Rayven Johnson claimed her sixth double-double of the year behind 14 points and 11 rebounds. Uju Nwankwo added 14 points off the bench.

Johnson's 11.6 ppg and 8.2 rpg lead the team in both categories, followed in scoring by Denisa Domiterova's 8.8 ppg and Olson's 8.3 ppg. Nwankwo's 6.3 rpg place her second on the team.

This is the second meeting this season between UVU and NJIT, with the Wolverines winning the first matchup in Newark, 61-54, on Jan. 28. UVU used a late 25-4 run to grab the lead and secure the victory. Jensen led the Wolverines with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while NJIT's Johnson also finished with a double-double, scoring 18 points and snatching 13 boards.

UVU is 9-4 all-time against NJIT.

About Chicago State
Chicago State (5-18, 3-2 GWC) bounced back from a disappointing loss to Indiana University Northwest last Thursday night to defeat NJIT. Janay Dockery led all scorers in the game with 28 points to go along with seven assists. Three more Cougars finished in double digits, as Tierra Williams scored 12 points and Caneka Davis and Jasmine Collins each added 10.

Dockery's team-high 18.9 ppg also place her atop the GWC in scoring. Natalie Marlowe is next, scoring 8.8 ppg while Paris Williams averages 8.6 ppg alongside her team-leading 5.6 rpg.

Utah Valley struggled in its first meeting with Chicago State this season, falling 69-42 on Jan. 26 in the Windy City. Dockery dropped in 26 points in that meeting while Jensen led UVU with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

The Wolverines are 4-8 all-time against CSU, and the Cougars have won six of the last seven meetings.

Up Next for UVU
The Wolverines will step out of conference play next weekend when it travels to face the Redhawks of Seattle University on Saturday at 5 p.m. MT time. From there, UVU closes out the road portion of the 2012 GWC schedule when it heads to the Lone Star State for a pair of games against Houston Baptist and Texas-Pan American.

Promotions
Seniors Jenna Johnson and Tasha Sanborn will be highlighted in UVU's first Senior Poster Night of the year on Thursday night. Posters of both Johnson and Sanborn will be available at the arena, and the two will be signing autographs postgame.

Senior guard Abbie Beutler will be featured on Saturday.

Saturday's contest against CSU is also UVU's annual "Pink with a Purpose Game." The first 150 fans to the UCCU Center will receive a free pink t-shirt and any fan wearing pink can gain admittance for only $1.