After entering the Olympic break at just 9-9 overall, and a miserable 2-4 in Mountain West Conference play, the U women’s hoops team was just looking for some way to plug the holes on the sinking ship heading into March’s conference tourney.
The Utes acquitted themselves reasonably well, going 4-2 during the stretch to jump to 13-11 overall, 6-6 MWC.
However, the slight upgrade did not do much to assuage the frustration of coach Elaine Elliott. After all, while she knows her players are raw enough that their struggles are not wholly unexpected, she also knows they are talented enough to have won more.
In those six contests, Utah beat the three teams it was supposed to, dispatching league bottom-dwellers San Diego State, Wyoming and Air Force. However, against its three tough opponents, the U won just once, scoring a home upset of New Mexico between road losses to Colorado State and BYU.
Now, with just two regular season contests remaining (Thursday at SDSU and Saturday in Vegas against UNLV), Elliott and company recognize that while the season title is out of reach, the conference championship provides yet another opportunity?one which the Utes believe can yield results in spite of the turbulent year that preceded it.
“We’re capable. We think we’re dangerous to other teams,” Elliott said. “Really, I just need [the players] to stay focused, to keep working hard. We’ve checked in and checked out at times, but we’ve always been in the games. Sometimes we just lose focus, but if we can stay away from that trap, we’ll do well.”
Following is a game-by-game account of Utah’s action during the Olympic break.
Utah 75, San Diego State 59
After losing three straight and six of its previous eight, the U women’s basketball team was in desperate need of someone to beat up on.
Nice to see you, Aztecs.
That the win came when stars Erin Gibbons and Lauren Beckman?who average a combined 31 points per game?were limited to just 8 points apiece made it even sweeter for the coach.
Reserve forward/center Carley Marshall scored a career-high 19 points and added a game-high 9 rebounds, while small forward Lindsay Herbert broke a string of three straight games without hitting double digits by netting 10 in the first half and 16 for the game.
“[The Aztecs] made the commitment to double Beck, so other people have to step up?we can’t play 3-on-5,” Elliott said. “So Carley hit some shots, Herbie hit some shots?We need to get that consistently.”
Colorado State 58, Utah 53
In the teams’ first matchup of the year, the Rams rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to win in triple overtime, despite fouling out three players and seeing its bench reduced to a lone walk on.
This contest lacked that one’s epic nature, though it did provide some drama in the waning moments.
CSU canned four straight treys for a 16-5 run that allowed it to extend to a 27-18 lead at the break. This time, though, it was the Utes who battled back, thanks to a career night from Herbert.
The senior forward nailed six 3-pointers in the second half, and finished 9-for-15 overall (7-of-9 from deep) for a career-high 26 points, as the Utes got within two points with 2:32 to go.
They’d get no closer, though, as Colorado State hit 5-of-6 freebies down the stretch to preserve the lead and the win. The U, meanwhile, hit just 33 percent from the charity stripe.
“Making just 3-of-9 from the free-throw line hurt us a lot. That combined with our play in the first half makes for a tough comeback,” Elliott said. “We played hard and we played with a lot of heart, we just couldn’t pull out the win.”
Utah 66, Wyoming 53
The teams traded blows and leads all game long, but it was the Utes who got hot last and, as a result, got the win.
After Utah scored the opening bucket, the Cowgirls went on a 15-2 run for the 11 point advantage. The U responded with its own 11 point outburst, and the two combatants alternated the advantage until Wyoming took a 25-23 halftime lead.
The second half saw the tempo swing back in the Utes’ favor, as they opened with 14 3 run out of the break. Though the ‘Pokes would rally within two, Utah finished strong, leading by as many as 15 before securing the final margin.
Beckman led with 17 points and 10 boards, while point guard Kelsy Stireman had a season-high 15 points.
Utah 67, New Mexico 59
Though the Lobos came in as the favorites, at 18-5 overall, 7-2 MWC, the Utes proved a game matchup.
The first half saw the teams battle to a 30-30 draw, but the second went to Utah, thanks to the continued improvement of Herbert, not to mention a balanced effort around her.
She led all scorers?and four Utes in double-figures?with 23 points, thanks to a 5-for-9 performance from downtown. Gibbons and Stireman contributed 11 apiece, while Beckman added 10 points and 9 rebounds.
“Herbie gave us a huge lift tonight,” Elliott said. “She is in a more comfortable place right now with her shooting and can get it done for us.”
Utah 71, Air Force 53
After starting out slowly, totaling just 5 points in the game’s first seven and a half minutes?including a scoreless stretch of 6:08?but falling behind just 8-5, the Utes turned things on as the half progressed, capitalizing on the Academy’s misfires when trailing 15-10 and scoring 23 of the half’s final 27 points to take a 33-19 lead at halftime.
The hot streak continued after the break, as the Utes reeled off the first 12 points of the half in just 2:42, taking a 45-21 advantage and cruising to their third straight win in the last home game of the year.
Seniors Beckman, Gibbons, Herbert and Katherine McColl?who played their last ever game at the Huntsman Center?did most of the damage. Herbert had a team high 18 points, Gibbons added 13 and Beckman contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds, as Utah led by as many as 31.
“It was special?I’m glad they played well,” Elliott said. “They’ve contributed so much. They’ll all be missed.”
BYU 62, Utah 53
After leading 33-31 at halftime, the Utes fell apart in the second period, shooting just 15 percent and scoring just 20 more points.
“We did a better job defensively in the second half, but you also have to score and we’ve struggled with that this season down the stretch,” Elliott said. “Our kids won’t quit, they will continue to move forward and go down to the tournament and make something happen.”