ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — Utah Valley used a dominant second half to defeat Texas-Arlington 66-54 in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at College Park Center. The Mavericks led 32-27 at halftime, but the Wolverines outscored them 39-22 after intermission. Jackson Holcombe led Utah Valley with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Marcell McCreary scored 14 points for Texas-Arlington. Utah Valley improved to 20-7 overall. Texas-Arlington fell to 15-12. An announced crowd of 1,555 attended.

ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined more by defensive grit and offensive inefficiency than any fluid scoring run, the Utah Valley Wolverines grinded out a 66-54 victory over the Texas-Arlington Mavericks in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at College Park Center. The contest, played before a crowd of 1,555, saw Utah Valley improve to 20-7 overall, while Texas-Arlington fell to 15-12. The win completed a regular-season sweep for the Wolverines over the Mavericks. The most important stretch of the game came early in the second half, as Utah Valley transformed a narrow halftime deficit into a commanding lead with a decisive defensive stand. After trailing 32-27 at the break, the Wolverines opened the second period on a 13-3 surge over the first seven minutes. That run flipped a five-point hole into a 40-35 advantage, a lead Utah Valley would not relinquish. The Mavericks managed just one field goal during that critical span, a three-pointer from Marcell McCreary, as their offense stalled against a tightened Utah Valley defense. The Wolverines were led by a dominant performance from forward Jackson Holcombe. The 6-foot-7 junior from Charleston, South Carolina, played 36 minutes and recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He also added five assists and two blocks, anchoring Utah Valley on both ends of the floor. His interior presence was pivotal, especially during the second-half turnaround. Isaac Davis, a 6-foot-8 forward from Idaho Falls, Idaho, provided crucial support with 14 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. Trevan Leonhardt also secured a double-double, contributing 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Wolverines’ strength was overwhelmingly in the paint, where they outscored the Mavericks 46-24 and collected 18 offensive rebounds. Texas-Arlington was paced by Marcell McCreary, a 6-foot-4 guard from Fort Worth, Texas, who scored 14 points. Casmir Chavis added 13 points and three assists, but the Mavericks struggled mightily with their shooting touch all afternoon. The game was an offensive struggle for both teams. Utah Valley shot just 40 percent from the field, making only one of its 14 attempts from three-point range. Texas-Arlington was even colder, connecting on only 34 percent of its shots overall and 4 of 15 from beyond the arc. Free throw shooting was also a collective weakness, with Utah Valley making 13 of 22 and Texas-Arlington converting 16 of 27. Utah Valley’s defensive pressure was a constant, forcing 15 Mavericks turnovers and holding them to an offensive rating of 77.3 points per 100 possessions. The Wolverines’ own offensive rating was 95.0, hardly efficient, but sufficient on a day where their defense set the tone. The victory keeps Utah Valley near the top of the WAC standings as the regular season enters its final weeks. The Wolverines host Tarleton State on Thursday. Texas-Arlington looks to rebound on the road at California Baptist, also on Thursday.

ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — A Western Athletic Conference rematch with significant seeding implications is set for Saturday when Utah Valley visits Texas-Arlington at College Park Center. The Wolverines (18-7, 8-2 WAC), who sit near the top of the conference standings, will look to complete a regular-season sweep of the Mavericks (14-11, 5-6). Utah Valley dominated the first meeting in Orem on Feb. 7, winning 81-60, and also won the previous matchup on Jan. 17, 86-74. Utah Valley arrives after a tough 81-77 road loss at Utah Tech on Feb. 12, which snapped a three-game winning streak. A key to their success will be guard Jackson Holcombe, who scored 20 points with five assists in that loss and is averaging 16.8 points over his last five games. He was held to just seven points in the first game against UTA this month. Texas-Arlington seeks to halt a five-game skid, most recently a 78-73 home loss to Southern Utah on Feb. 14. The Mavericks have struggled offensively during the slide, failing to reach 80 points in any of the five losses. Guard Marcell McCreary, who leads the team, was limited to nine points in the loss at Utah Valley but has averaged 14.8 points over his last six contests. The game is critical for UTA’s hopes of climbing into the top half of the WAC table, while Utah Valley aims to keep pace for a potential regular-season title. Home court has been a slight advantage for the Mavericks, who are 9-4 at College Park Center this season. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST on Saturday, Feb. 21. Utah Valley’s next game is at home against Tarleton State on Feb. 26. Texas-Arlington hits the road to face California Baptist on the same date.