Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple have both won Mountain West Conference Player of the Week awards this month and the two have combined for 91 points in the team’s past two games. Peaking at the right time is what any player hopes to do as the season winds down and the dual threats hope tonight to pick up where they left off last week against UNLV.
For Warburton, the past two games have been a particular breath of fresh air. She has a conference-record 59 straight games scoring in double figures. However, the last two have been especially efficient, as she shot at least 50 percent from the field in both games.
“This is the perfect time of the year to feel good about your game,” Warburton said. “Luckily, me and Kalee have been playing well for our team, but also the people surrounding us have been getting us the ball. They’ve been doing what’s asked of them, and it’s good to know our team is jelling at the right time.”
Although Warburton and Whipple have been carrying the load, head coach Elaine Elliott is still waiting for other players to break through.
One player Elliott is depending on is Halie Sawyer. The junior forward has been battling an ankle injury. She re-injured it during practice but is still expected to play.
“Sawyer has played well this year for us,” Elliott said. “But she’s in kind of a slump now and to be honest, we need her to play better. And I think she will.”
UNLV is a team Sawyer and Co. might be able to use as a boost. The Rebels are last in scoring defense in the Mountain West, allowing 66.9 points per game. Their scoring margin in conference games is also the second worst in the conference, as they are outscored by 9.1 points per game.
But UNLV does have scoring options. Three players average in double figures for the Rebels, and center Shamela Hampton has been having a solid season, leading the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game. She is also second on the team in rebounds, at 8.7 a game.
For Warburton and the Utes, tempo is key.
“We need to just control the tempo overall,” Warburton said. “UNLV is kind of like Colorado State, in that they like to get up the floor. And we got to make sure we limit Hampton’s touches in the middle.”
Erik DaenitzHalie Sawyer re-injured her ankle in practice this week but is still expected to play against UNLV.