Lupfer, Christopher Lead Broncos Back Into W Column

Tuesday, November 26

Boise, Idaho

7:00 PM MT

Boise State

4-3,0-0Mountain West

Utah Valley

0-5,0-0WAC

Utah Valley

Boise St.

Photo by: Boise State University

11/26/2019 9:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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BOISE, Idaho - Boise State stopped a two-game slide thanks to a key third-quarter run Tuesday night, pulling away from a pesky Utah Valley squad for a 77-69 victory.

Trailing 50-49 at the third-quarter media timeout, Boise State (4-3) responded to a missed bonus free throw from Eve Braslis with 11-straight points to take a 10-point lead at 60-50. A'Shanti Coleman, who finished the night with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, opened the run with a bunny off a nice feed from Jade Loville, and it was followed by a Braydey Hodgins triple.

Hodgins and Loville followed a Jayde Christopher layup with buckets of their own, and in the span of just 2:15, the Broncos had taken control of the contest.

Christopher had one her best all-around games in a Bronco uniform, threatening a triple-double with eight points, a career-high eight rebounds, and 10 assists. Riley Lupfer hit her first three 3-point attempts of the second half, helping keep the Broncos afloat, on her way to a career-high seven triples (in 12 attempts) and a 23-point night.

Bang! Christopher with her seventh helper of the contest as @rileylupfer2 buries the 3 off the handoff!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/904uazjFnr
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) November 27, 2019

Christopher, however, would exit the game early in the fourth quarter with a leg cramp, and the Wolverines (0-5) nearly seized the opportunity. Without their creator on the floor, Boise State went scoreless for the opening 4:39 of the final frame, with Utah Valley pulling to within two at 64-62.

The Wolverines had a chance at the lead, but Jordan Holland missed an open look from deep, and Hodgins responded with a drive and bucket through contact, and completed the three-point play to get the Broncos in front by five at 67-62 with 5:21 to go.

And 1! @braydeyhodgins drives and scores through the contact to give the Broncos a five-point cushion with the three-point play!

67-62, Boise State!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/IJyHJDfb4l
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) November 27, 2019

Lupfer would hit her fourth triple of the half a minute later, and the Broncos, up 70-62 with four minutes to play, were not threatened the rest of the way.

"They're very well-coached, and they run really good stuff. This was one of the better nights they've shot all year. And then, I think there's a letdown on our part, too," said Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell. "We had a pretty emotional game less than 48 hours ago, but we should have responded to that a little better. We did not, but I was pleased with the little run we had, and Riley hit some big shots."

The Broncos struggled to build a cushion against a game Utah Valley (0-5), as the Wolverines shot 48.5 percent (16-for-33) in the first half and trailed by just two at 39-37. Boise State got its lead out to six on multiple occasions in the second quarter, but Braslis, who led the Wolverines with 16 points on the night, and Alexis Cortez, who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, kept bringing the Wolverines back.