Utah Valley holds off North Dakota 74-68

Nov 25, 2019, 09:05 am

OREM, Utah -- Jake Toolson scored 17 points with three 3-pointers, Connor Toolson added 15 points with three 3s and Utah Valley jumped to an early lead and held off North Dakota 74-68 on Saturday.

Isaiah White scored 12 points with seven rebounds and TJ Washington added nine with nine assists for the Wolverines (4-3), who made 10 of 22 3-pointers and outshot the Fighting Hawks 51 percent to 44 percent.

Aanen Moody hit a go-ahead 3 for the Fighting Hawks' first lead, 58-55 with 6:45 to go. The lead flip-flopped until Benjamin Nakwaasah's 3 and Baylee Steele's hook shot gave the Wolverines a 72-68 lead with 49 seconds left. Jake Toolson iced it with two free throws and North Dakota missed a free throw and two 3-pointers in the final 16 seconds.

Utah Valley hit five 3s in its opening 16-6 run and led by as many as 11 points before taking a 40-32 advantage into the break.

Connor Avants scored 20 points and Cortez Seales added 19 with 10 rebounds for North Dakota (4-2).