Free Throw March Allows Bears to Tally 75-57 Over Utah Valley State
GREELEY, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado earned a 75-57 victory over Utah Valley State after what seemed to be an endless journey to the free throw line on Saturday night in Butler-Hancock Hall.
Northern Colorado drained a season-high 31 free throws and Bailey Dillon tied the Bears' single-game record for highest free throw percentage by making all 10 of her free throw attempts.
Dillon tied a record held by Carol Franta (12-12 - Feb. 20, 1987), Jill Fadenrecht (11-11 - Dec. 19, 2000) and Petra Olsen (10-10 - Feb. 6, 1999).
Northern Colorado's offensive attack was led by senior Kayla Flavin's 18 points and junior Cindy McCarroll's career-high 14 points. Dillon also chipped in 13 points.
The Bears never trailed in the game and built a 29-16 first-half lead with 5:03 to go until halftime. The Wolverines then clawed their way back into the contest and pulled to within one point (33-32) with 16:47 left in the game. However, that would be as close as the Wolverines would get the rest of the way.
Northern Colorado played cat-and-mouse with Utah Valley State throughout the rest of the second half. The Wolverines would cut into the lead, but the Bears would respond and get some distance between the two squads.
That story was never more evident than the final five minutes of the game. Utah Valley State's Katie Wilson drained a jumper with 4:43 left in teh game to cut the lead to four points at 55-51. But an old fashioned three-point play by McCarroll gave the Bears a seven-point margin.
UVSC's Courtney Lynn then drained a three-pointer to cut the lead back to four points at 58-54 with 3:31 remaining. But again the Bears answered with a dagger three-pointer from Flavin.
The Bears then nailed all 12 of their free throw attempts in the final 2:02 of the game to seal the victory.
Northern Colorado will be off until next Sunday when the Bears take on the IPFW Mastodons in Fort Wayne, Ind. The game will tip at 12 p.m. (Mountain) on Feb. 6.
NOTES: Northern Colorado head coach Ron Vlasin received his first technical of the season at the 11:26 mark of the second half ... UVSC's Rebekah Fales was ejected from the game after committing a flagrant technical foul with 11:11 remaining in the game ... Fales was called for a charge and while on the floor attempted to kick the Bears' Kendra Lambrecht, but referee John Haefeli whistled Fales for the technical foul and immediately ejected her from the arena ... the Bears' 31 free throws made was only four away from the school record set against Nebraska-Omaha on Dec. 9, 2000.
