LOGAN, Utah (Interstat) — The Grand Canyon Antelopes used a dominant first quarter and a blistering display of three-point shooting to cruise past the Utah State Aggies 86-66 in a women’s NCAA basketball game Wednesday afternoon at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

The Antelopes seized control from the opening tip, holding the Aggies to just eight points in the first quarter while building a 16-8 lead. That early cushion proved insurmountable as Grand Canyon consistently answered any Utah State push with timely outside shooting, finishing 13 of 25 from beyond the arc.

The most important stretch of the game came in the second quarter, when Utah State showed signs of life. After a Paloma Munoz Herreros tip-in brought the Aggies within 10-8 early in the period, Grand Canyon unleashed a decisive 15-2 run. The surge was fueled by the Antelopes’ offensive balance and precision. Ines Zounia and Casey Valenti-Paea hit three-pointers, Anisa Jeffries and Julianna LaMendola scored inside, and Ale’Jah Douglas capped the run with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 25-10. Utah State never got the deficit back to single digits, as Grand Canyon led 44-28 at halftime and maintained a comfortable double-digit advantage throughout the second half.

The Antelopes’ offensive efficiency was the story. They shot 57.1% from the field and committed 23 turnovers, but offset those giveaways by scoring at a high rate on their possessions. Grand Canyon posted an offensive rating of 109.9 points per 100 possessions, a stark contrast to Utah State’s rating of 80.3. The Aggies struggled mightily from deep, making only 4 of 21 three-point attempts.

Aaliyah Gayles of Utah State was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 24 points in 32 minutes. She was the primary offensive engine for the Aggies, adding five rebounds and three assists. For Grand Canyon, the victory was a collective effort. Casey Valenti-Paea, a guard from Melbourne, Australia, led the Antelopes with 16 points, including four three-pointers. Anisa Jeffries of Zacatecas, Mexico, provided a strong all-around performance with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a block. Chloe Mann added 10 points and four assists, while Julianna LaMendola contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Antelopes also received significant contributions from their bench. Ale’Jah Douglas scored 11 points, Ines Zounia had nine points and three assists, and Karley Johnson chipped in seven points, five rebounds and three assists.

Utah State’s Karyn Sanford, from Bergen, Norway, scored 13 points, and Paloma Munoz Herreros of Malaga, Spain, added nine points.

The win improved Grand Canyon’s season record to 7-14, while Utah State fell to 6-14. An announced crowd of 1,338 attended the game at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Grand Canyon will look to build on the victory when it hosts Wyoming on Saturday. Utah State travels to face New Mexico on Saturday.