Tough night for Wolverine basketball--Women suffer 1st loss and men drop 3rd straight

Women suffer first loss
Montana State guard Rebecca Mercer scored 30 points as the Bobcats handed Utah Valley an unexpected first loss 79-69.
With an in-state match-up pending this weekend against BYU the Wolverines (8-1) couldn't stay undefeated.
BYU (3-5) also lost today, to New Mexico State 54-52.
For Utah Valley Julie McMurray led the team with 18 points against the Bobcats. Robyn Fairbanks scored 17 and had 10 rebounds and Sandy Marvin scored 14 points in the loss.
Those three took most of the offense on their shoulders like normal but they usually have some pretty good help from Rebekah Peterson but she missed both of her field goals and scored just two points.
AS dissapointing as the loss is the season is still off to a great start. The team just has to make sure they don't into a similar slump they fell into last season.
After staring 10-1 in 2006 the women won just one game in their next 10 games.
Interestingly that 1-9 span started with a loss to BYU and their only win in that period was against Montana State.
They play two teams they lost to last year during that span this month also, Portland and Portland State, both at home.
It's hard to see this team going through anoter 1-9 period because of the experience and leaders on the team but they do play some tough games this month besides BYU. Of, course the toughest game of the season will be at Duke.
But potential is still there for the team's best record at Utah Valley.

Men drop third straight
Utah Valley got within three points in the second half but it just couldn't get over the deficit, which at one point was 15 in the first half, against Cal State Northridge of the Big West Conference.
With only three combined points from from Jordan Brady and Richard Troyer the team fell 76-64.
It doesn't get easier either for the men. On Friday they play UC Santa Barbara, a team picked to win the Big West.
It seems like coach Dick Hunsaker is trying to make something happen with the line up as freshman center Brian Anderson and guard Jabir Jinna got their first starts as a Wolverine. In a post game interview Hunsaker said Anderson played well but made some mistakes, as expected from the young guys.
This year's schedule gives Utah Valley a chance to see where it is at compared to so-called mid-major schools and so far it asn't been good.
Utah Valley will return home for a rematch against Boise State, UV lost in overtime to the Broncos in the season opener, Dec. 13 before hitting the road again.