Southern Utah edges Utah Valley 89-88 in WAC semifinals

Associated Press
·2 min read
FILE — Southern Utah guard Tevian Jones, right, shoots over Michigan guard Frankie Collins during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Jones hit the game-winning shot as Southern Utah beat Utah Valley 89-88 in WAC semifinals
FILE — Southern Utah guard Tevian Jones, right, shoots over Michigan guard Frankie Collins during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Jones hit the game-winning shot as Southern Utah beat Utah Valley 89-88 in WAC semifinals | Jose Juarez, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tevian Jones turned a four-point play with four seconds left to lift Southern Utah past Utah Valley, 89-88 in the Western Athletic Conference semifinals on Friday night.

Jones drilled a 3-pointer while drawing a foul, then added the game-winning free throw.

The win sends the Thunderbirds, the tournaments’ No. 3 seed, into the championship game to face fifth-seeded Grand Canyon Saturday night.

Jones led Southern Utah with 20 points, shooting 6 for 15 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free throw line for the Thunderbirds (20-11). Harrison Butler added 19 points while going 5 of 11 from the floor, including 1 for 4 from distance, and 8 for 14 from the line, and he also had six rebounds. Jason Spurgin shot 5 of 9 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line to finish with 15 points, while adding seven rebounds.

Trey Woodbury led the way for the Wolverines (24-7) with 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Tim Fuller added 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals for Utah Valley. In addition, Justin Harmon had 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Spurgin scored 10 points in the first half and Southern Utah went into the break trailing 41-33. Butler scored a team-high 15 points for Southern Utah in the second half. Southern Utah outscored Utah Valley by nine points over the final half.