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OREM — Utah Valley dropped another close conference game, losing to CSU Bakersfield 78-74 Saturday night.
Despite the Roadrunners leading for all but less than two minutes — a period early in the first half — the Wolverines never trailed by more than 10.
An aggressive defensive press near the end of the game, coupled with Ivory "Trey" Young's third 3 during the final 1:41 got the hosts back within two with 14 seconds remaining, but two free throws pushed Bakersfield's lead to four before Utah Valley failed to get a shot off on its final possession.
"We didn't have a lot of things go right for us tonight, but we really battled and so I'm really proud of them in terms of the baseline of competing against a really good team — probably the second-best team in this league," UVU head coach Mark Pope said.
Young's career bests of six 3-pointers and 27 points weren't enough for the Wolverines, who followed up a 50-percent shooting performance in the first half by going 11 for 33 in the second, including three of 16 from behind the arc.
Pope acknowledged the cold shooting after halftime but noted that he felt his team played more in accordance with its true identity — getting out in transition and sharing the ball — than it did in Thursday's 73-62 home loss to Seattle.
"The next step for us is we have to add a little bit of salt," he said. "We have to add a little bit of meanness, a little bit of saltiness, a little bit of toughness so that we don't fall on the short end of the stick with 50-50 balls and rebounds and all the energy, hustle things."
We didn't have a lot of things go right for us tonight, but we really battled and so I'm really proud of them in terms of the baseline of competing against a really good team — probably the second-best team in this league.
–UVU head coach Mark Pope
The Wolverines relied on their starters, as well as bench players Hayden Schenck and Dayon Goodman, the majority of the night. Three other players logged three minutes or fewer, but Utah Valley's fatigue down the stretch became apparent when it surrendered three offensive rebounds on one Bakersfield possession, and again later when multiple 3-point attempts to narrow the gap went well off the mark.
"One of our challenges is that we don't have much depth," Pope said. "I mean we only have 11 available players period. Most teams are playing with 13 scholarship players plus some walk-ons."
The first-year coach added that he and his staff might have to explore a better way of stretching the rotation. Yet, he said, the Wolverines "live in a prevent defense."
Damiyne Durham's sharpshooting from the perimeter was key in the Roadrunners building and extending their advantage. He finished with 18 points and made five of eight 3s.
"A lot of teams have maybe a specialist like (Durham) on their team — Seattle certainly did, (No.) 23 on Seattle (Manroop Clair) was the same — what was different for us was (Durham's) length," Pope said.
Utah Valley (9-13, 3-4) struggled to close out Durham and UVU is still very much a work in progress when it comes to containing the opposition's preferred method of scoring.
Still, the inexperienced Wolverines continue to show signs of improvement. They were better defensively in the second half, and even in their losses to what appear to be the WAC's top four — Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, Seattle and now Bakersfield — their margin of defeat hasn't exceeded 12.
"We had a chance to be in sole position of third place in this league and we're stuck in fifth," Pope said. "And I think we have a harder second half than we did the first half. And we just lost two games at home, and I couldn't be more confident in what this team can do and where we can go."
Jaden Jackson chipped in 13 points, Marcel Davis led Utah Valley with six assists and Konner Frey had eight rebounds, but Young was the star for the home team on this night.
"One of the things we talk to Trey a lot about is on the catch, first bounce he tries to make one or two or three moves and the offense comes to a standstill," Pope said.
"And that's how he tries to be aggressive sometimes, but tonight he was aggressive by ripping, bouncing the ball twice hard towards the rim and then making a second move, and then making a third move and then finding the next player. He was really good tonight. I mean he saved us."
The Wolverines are back on the road next week as they visit UT Rio Grande Valley Thursday and New Mexico State Saturday.
Kyle Spencer is a freelance journalist residing in Orem. You can find him on Twitter @kyledspencer or reach him by email at kspence04@gmail.com.
