Utah Valley Edges Southern Utah in Close Contest
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 8:30 PM ET · America First Events Center
Utah Valley Wolverines 92, Southern Utah Thunderbirds 88, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
The next free pick, for your email
Team, bet, price and the hash it was sealed under, on this page the moment you send. Lose or win, it stays public.
or by email
Public record of the main pick, losses included: 115 won, 44 lost. See every pick
One free pick a day by email until you unsubscribe, in one click. 21+.
Quick answers
Who won Utah Valley Wolverines vs Southern Utah Thunderbirds?
Utah Valley Wolverines beat Southern Utah Thunderbirds 92-88 at America First Events Center on March 5, 2026.
Who was favored in Utah Valley Wolverines vs Southern Utah Thunderbirds?
Utah Valley Wolverines were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -500 (about 83% implied). The favorite won.
In a thrilling matchup at the America First Events Center, the Utah Valley Wolverines narrowly defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds with a final score of 92-88. This game showcased the competitive nature of both teams, particularly as Utah Valley extended their winning streak to five games, while Southern Utah was unable to capitalize on their recent victory over Utah Tech.
Southern Utah entered the game with a record of 10-20, having gone 4-6 in their last ten games. They had an average of 75.6 points scored per game but allowed 77.8 points, indicating a struggle on the defensive end. Their recent form included a win against Utah Tech (81-67) on March 1, but they had faced challenges against other opponents, including a loss to Abilene Christian (83-87) and a defeat against Tarleton State (74-78). At home, Southern Utah had a record of 2-2 in their last four games.
On the other hand, Utah Valley, boasting a record of 23-7, has been in excellent form, winning seven of their last ten games. They averaged 73.4 points scored while allowing only 65.2 points. Their recent victories included a win against Abilene Christian (74-67) and a strong performance against Tarleton State (79-72). Utah Valley's away record was 2-3 in their last five games, but they had been particularly strong at home with a perfect 5-0 record in their last five home games.
Historically, the matchup between these two teams has favored Utah Valley, who held a 3-1 advantage in their last four meetings. The most recent encounter prior to this game was on January 22, 2026, where Southern Utah triumphed with a score of 84-70. However, Utah Valley had previously defeated Southern Utah in their earlier meeting this season (89-72) on January 9, 2026.
In terms of injuries, the block did not provide specific details about player availability for either team, which could have influenced the game's outcome. The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Utah Valley favored by 9.5 points, with a total set at 150.5. The odds indicated a strong belief in Utah Valley's ability to secure the win, reflected in their moneyline of -500, while Southern Utah's moneyline was set at 380.
The game conditions were not detailed in the block, but the atmosphere in the America First Events Center typically provides a lively backdrop for college basketball, which can impact player performance.
As the game unfolded, viewers witnessed a back-and-forth contest, with key moments defined by scoring plays in the second half. Trevan Leonhardt was instrumental for Utah Valley, making crucial free throws that helped seal the victory. Elijah Duval also made significant contributions with a layup and a dunk that kept Southern Utah within striking distance, but ultimately, they fell short.
This matchup highlighted the resilience of Utah Valley as they continue to build momentum heading into the postseason, while Southern Utah will need to regroup and address their defensive issues if they hope to turn their season around.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | UVU -9.5 | 150.5 o -108 / u -112 | Utah Valley Wolverines -500 · Southern Utah Thunderbirds +380 |
Leaders
- PointsElijah Duval20Southern Utah Thunderbirds
- AssistsElijah Duval4Southern Utah Thunderbirds
- ReboundsElijah Duval4Southern Utah Thunderbirds
- PointsIsaac Davis28Utah Valley Wolverines
- AssistsTrevan Leonhardt7Utah Valley Wolverines
- ReboundsJackson Holcombe8Utah Valley Wolverines
Recent form
Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Last 10: 4-6Streak W175.6 scored · 77.8 allowed per game2-2 at home
- W81-67vs Utah Tech TrailblazersMar 1
- L83-87at Abilene Christian WildcatsFeb 21
- L74-78at Tarleton State TexansFeb 20
- W78-73at UT Arlington MavericksFeb 14
- L66-83vs California Baptist LancersFeb 13
- L59-62vs Tarleton State TexansFeb 8
- W79-76at Abilene Christian WildcatsJan 31
- L61-80at UT Arlington MavericksJan 30
- L91-102at Utah Tech TrailblazersJan 25
- W84-70vs Utah Valley WolverinesJan 22
Utah Valley Wolverines
Last 10: 7-3Streak W473.4 scored · 65.2 allowed per game2-3 away
- W74-67vs Abilene Christian WildcatsFeb 28
- W79-72vs Tarleton State TexansFeb 27
- W66-54at UT Arlington MavericksFeb 21
- W65-46vs California Baptist LancersFeb 20
- L77-81at Utah Tech TrailblazersFeb 13
- W81-60vs UT Arlington MavericksFeb 7
- W68-55vs Abilene Christian WildcatsFeb 6
- W83-55at Tarleton State TexansJan 30
- L71-78at California Baptist LancersJan 25
- L70-84at Southern Utah ThunderbirdsJan 22
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Irvine | 23-12 | - | 15-5 |
| Hawai'i | 24-9 | 1 | 14-6 |
| UC San Diego | 23-11 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Northridge | 20-14 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 18-16 | 3 | 12-8 |
| UC Davis | 19-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 18-14 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Cal Poly | 14-19 | 5 | 10-10 |
| Long Beach State | 10-22 | 9 | 6-14 |
| UC Riverside | 10-22 | 10 | 5-15 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 8-24 | 13 | 2-18 |
| Portland State | 20-11 | - | 13-5 |
| Montana State | 18-14 | 1 | 12-6 |
| Eastern Washington | 14-19 | 2 | 11-7 |
| Northern Colorado | 20-12 | 3 | 10-8 |
| Montana | 18-16 | 3 | 10-8 |
| Weber State | 16-16 | 3 | 10-8 |
| Idaho | 21-15 | 4 | 9-9 |
| Sacramento State | 10-21 | 8 | 6-12 |
| Idaho State | 13-20 | 8 | 5-13 |
| Northern Arizona | 10-22 | 9 | 4-14 |
Box score
| Stat | Utah Valley Wolverines | Southern Utah Thunderbirds |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 32-60 | 32-51 |
| Field goal % | 53 | 63 |
| Three-pointers | 6-17 | 8-17 |
| Three-point % | 35 | 47 |
| Free throws | 22-31 | 16-27 |
| Free throw % | 71 | 59 |
| Rebounds | 30 | 26 |
| Offensive rebounds | 11 | 6 |
| Defensive rebounds | 19 | 20 |
| Assists | 21 | 21 |
| Steals | 9 | 3 |
| Blocks | 2 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 7 | 14 |
| Team turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 17 | 2 |
| Fast-break points | 13 | 1 |
| Points in the paint | 50 | 46 |
| Fouls | 19 | 21 |
| Largest lead | 19 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 98 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half67-53Kai Burdick makes 9-foot jumper
- 2nd Half69-53Isaac Hawkins makes 4-foot dunk (Trevan Leonhardt assists)
- 2nd Half69-56Cale Barclay makes 23-foot three point jumper (Brayden Johnson assists)
- 2nd Half71-56Isaac Hawkins makes 4-foot dunk
- 2nd Half71-58Kai Burdick makes layup (Jaiden Feroah assists)
- 2nd Half73-58Trevan Leonhardt makes 12-foot jumper (Braden Housley assists)
- 2nd Half73-60Kai Burdick makes 3-foot dunk (Elijah Duval assists)
- 2nd Half74-60Isaac Davis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half75-60Isaac Davis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-60Isaac Davis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-62Kai Burdick makes 8-foot jumper (Elijah Duval assists)
- 2nd Half78-62Isaac Davis makes layup (Hayden Welling assists)
- 2nd Half79-62Isaac Davis makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half79-63Tanner Hayhurst makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half79-64Tanner Hayhurst makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half81-64Isaac Davis makes layup (Jackson Holcombe assists)
- 2nd Half81-66Elijah Duval makes layup
- 2nd Half81-67Elijah Duval makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half81-68Cale Barclay makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half81-69Cale Barclay makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half81-71Jaiden Feroah makes 11-foot jumper
- 2nd Half81-72Cale Barclay makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half82-72Isaac Davis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half82-74Isaiah Cottrell makes 3-foot dunk (Elijah Duval assists)
- 2nd Half84-74Isaac Davis makes 5-foot dunk (Trevan Leonhardt assists)
- 2nd Half84-75Isaiah Cottrell makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half84-76Isaiah Cottrell makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half86-76Jackson Holcombe makes layup (Braden Housley assists)
- 2nd Half86-78Elijah Duval makes layup
- 2nd Half86-80Elijah Duval makes layup
- 2nd Half87-80Isaac Davis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half87-82Cale Barclay makes layup (Elijah Duval assists)
- 2nd Half88-82Trevan Leonhardt makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half89-82Trevan Leonhardt makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half89-84Jaiden Feroah makes layup
- 2nd Half90-84Sherman Weatherspoon IV makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half90-86Elijah Duval makes layup
- 2nd Half91-86Trevan Leonhardt makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half92-86Trevan Leonhardt makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half92-88Elijah Duval makes 4-foot dunk
Win probability
Above the line favours Southern Utah Thunderbirds, below favours Utah Valley Wolverines.
Venue
- America First Events CenterCedar City, UT
- Attendance1540
- OfficialsJustin Shamion, Justin Albrecht, John Jenkins Jr.
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond