Whipple whips up MWC honor
Junior forward Kalee Whipple received the Mountain West Player of the Week Honors after her two stellar performances against TCU and Wyoming this past week. Whipple was a huge reason the Utes were successful in their two come-from-behind wins.
Against the Horned Frogs, Whipple scored 16 points in the second half to help bring her team back from a nine-point deficit. She finished the game with 21 points and 11 rebounds, giving her the team’s second double-double of the season.
Sunday’s game against the Cowgirls saw Whipple help lead the offense to its 12th consecutive victory of the season, as she scored 22 points in the Utes’ 64-57 win. Whipple was instrumental in the team’s 10-2 run at the 13:36 mark in the second half, giving the Utes the lead for good. With the score knotted up at 31, Whipple and Morgan Warburton both scored five points during the run.
This is Whipple’s second MWC Player of the Week award this year. Her first came Jan. 5, as she led the Utes to victories over USC and Norfolk State.
A preseason choice for 1st-team all-MWC, Whipple is averaging 17 points and 6.5 rebounds for the first-place Utes.
25 and counting
Utah has received a lot of press for its current 12-game winning streak. The Utes haven’t lost since Dec. 20, when they went up against SEC foe Mississippi State. Since then, the Utes have beaten teams such as USC, Oregon, New Mexico and TCU.
But Utah’s 12-game streak isn’t the most impressive winning streak it’s riding. The Utes’ most remarkable streak is the number of consecutive MWC wins they have, which sits at 25 and counting. The conference win streak dates all the way back to March 3, 2007, when the Utes lost at home to Wyoming. Utah hasn’t lost an MWC game since then. Seven of the Utes’ 13 players on the roster have never experienced a conference loss, certainly something to boast about.
Whipple and the Utes look to continue their imposing play this week as they take on San Diego State on Wednesday in San Diego. A win would put Utah three games ahead of the pack in the MWC race.