SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Utah Valley used a dominant first half to secure a 68-53 win over UC Santa Barbara in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Salt Lake Slam. The Wolverines built a 37-15 halftime lead and withstood a stronger second half from the Gauchos. Trevan Leonhardt led Utah Valley with 10 assists, nine rebounds and eight points, narrowly missing a triple-double. Hayden Welling scored a game-high 18 points. Utah Valley shot 8 for 22 from three-point range and scored 16 points off 18 UC Santa Barbara turnovers. The Gauchos, who shot just 35.8% from the floor, were led by Zion Sensley’s 10 rebounds and eight points. Both teams are now 8-3 this season. An announced crowd of 1,987 attended the game.

SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — A disastrous first half proved too deep a hole for UC Santa Barbara to escape as Utah Valley methodically secured a 68-53 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Salt Lake Slam. The Wolverines, capitalizing on a prolonged offensive drought by the Gauchos, built a 22-point halftime lead and then withstood a more spirited second-half push to improve their record to 8-3. UC Santa Barbara fell to 8-3, snapping a four-game winning streak. The most important part of the game was Utah Valley’s overwhelming first-half performance, which established a commanding lead that defined the contest. The Wolverines closed the opening period on a 35-9 run over the final 13 minutes, turning a 6-6 tie into a 37-15 halftime advantage. During that stretch, UC Santa Barbara’s offense completely stalled, committing 10 turnovers and shooting just 4 of 21 from the field. The Gauchos’ 15 first-half points were a season low. Utah Valley’s control was orchestrated by guard Trevan Leonhardt of Kaysville, Utah, who flirted with a triple-double. He finished with 8 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists, directing an offense that committed only 4 turnovers in the first half. Forward Hayden Welling of Draper, Utah, provided a significant scoring punch off the bench, netting 18 points, including three 3-pointers. Forward Jackson Holcombe of Charleston, South Carolina, anchored the interior with 11 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Gauchos showed more life after the break, opening the second half on a 15-4 run to cut the deficit to 41-30. Zion Sensley of San Carlos, California, who had 8 points and 10 rebounds, and Colin Smith of Dallas, Texas, who scored 10 points, were catalysts in the effort. UC Santa Barbara outscored Utah Valley 38-31 in the second half and shot 46.7% from the field after halftime, a stark contrast to their 28% first-half showing. However, every Gaucho push was met with a timely response from the Wolverines. When the lead was trimmed to 11, Welling and Tyler Hendricks of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who scored 13 points, hit consecutive 3-pointers to push it back to 17. UC Santa Barbara never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way, as Utah Valley’s defense forced 18 total turnovers, converting them into 16 points. Statistical disparities told the story of Utah Valley’s efficient victory. The Wolverines posted an offensive rating of 97.8 points per 100 possessions, significantly outperforming the Gauchos’ rating of 77.2. Utah Valley also shot better from distance, making 8 of 22 from 3-point range compared to UC Santa Barbara’s 3 of 13. Both teams scored 28 points in the paint, but the Wolverines’ advantage in perimeter scoring and points off turnovers proved decisive. Marvin McGhee of Atlanta, Georgia, led UC Santa Barbara with 8 points off the bench. Evans Kipruto of Nairobi, Kenya, added 6 points and 3 rebounds for the Gauchos. For Utah Valley, Noah Taitz of Las Vegas contributed 12 points. The game, played before a crowd of 1,987 at a neutral site, saw Utah Valley cover the pregame spread as a 4.5-point favorite. The combined point total of 121 fell well under the over/under line of 151.5, largely due to UC Santa Barbara’s frigid first half. UC Santa Barbara looks to rebound on Wednesday when it travels to face Green Bay. Utah Valley returns home to host Weber State, also on Wednesday.