VINEYARD, Utah (Interstat) — The Utah Valley Wolverines used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Tarleton State Texans and secure a 74-49 victory in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game on Thursday afternoon at the UCCU Center.

A crowd of 648 saw the home team improve to 7-5 overall, while Tarleton State dropped to 7-6.

The game’s decisive stretch began late in the second quarter and carried through the third. Leading by just seven points at 34-27 at halftime, the Wolverines opened the second half with renewed defensive intensity and offensive efficiency. They outscored the Texans 24-11 in the pivotal third period, transforming a competitive contest into a comfortable lead.

The most important part of the game was Utah Valley’s third-quarter run, which was fueled by balanced scoring and disruptive defense. The Wolverines held Tarleton State to just four field goals in the quarter while forcing seven turnovers. This stretch effectively broke the Texans’ spirit, as they never threatened again, managing only 11 points in the final quarter as well.

Utah Valley’s offense was led by a quartet of double-figure scorers. Guard Amanda Barcello, from Chandler, Arizona, paced the Wolverines with 15 points. Center Tessa Chaney, a local product from Saratoga Springs, Utah, added 14 points. Forward Kaylee Headrick of Bluffdale, Utah, contributed 10 points, and guard Cambree Blackham from Lehi, Utah, chipped in nine points and a team-high six assists.

The Wolverines shared the ball effectively, tallying 19 assists on 28 made field goals. Defensively, they forced 24 Tarleton State turnovers, converting them into 23 points. Utah Valley also controlled the paint, outscoring the Texans 38-24 inside.

For Tarleton State, forward Shadasia Brackens of Fairfield, Texas, led the way with nine points. Center Elodie Lutbert, from Sainte-Luce, Martinique, provided a presence off the bench with eight points and a block in just 10 minutes. The Texans struggled to find consistent offense, shooting under 33% from the field for the game and connecting on only 4 of 22 attempts from three-point range.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair. Tarleton State kept pace early, trailing just 14-13 after one quarter. The Texans were within 23-21 in the second quarter after a layup from Allie Myers, but Utah Valley closed the half on an 11-6 spurt, capped by an Amanda Barcello three-pointer and a free throw in the final seconds, to take a 34-27 lead into the break.

That momentum carried into the second half, where Utah Valley’s systematic dismantling of the Tarleton State offense began. The Wolverines opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run, pushing the lead to 14 points and never looking back.

Both teams continue WAC play on Saturday. Utah Valley hosts Abilene Christian, while Tarleton State travels to face California Baptist.