Friday night was a rollercoaster ride for Nina Kim and Kristina Baskett on senior night.
A capacity crowd showed up to say goodbye to Kim and Baskett and watch the Red Rocks beat No. 5 Florida, 197.025 to 196.00, for the first time in three regular season meetings.
“It was an exciting night,” Baskett said. “So it’s kind of hard to be sad about it. We’ll remember it forever.”
Emotions ran high as the seniors were introduced inside the Huntsman Center for the very last time along side family and loved ones. Aside from the festivities, there was still work to be done for Kim, Baskett and the Red Rocks.
After the lights came back on, it seemed like business as usual as the Red Rocks blew through the vault with their fifth highest score of the season on the apparatus, scoring a 49.375. Junior Annie DiLuzio led the way by tying her career high with a 9.950- the same score she got a week earlier against Arizona State. Baskett followed up DiLuzio with a 9.900 of her own, it was the eighth time Baskett broke the 9.900 mark this season.
But the Red Rocks uncharacteristically struggled on bars, where Utah is currently ranked second in the country, averaging 49.272. Utah scored a 49.0, the team’s lowest score of the season. It was a stumble by Jamie Deestcreek, followed by a fall by Daria Bijak that caused Utah’s low score.
“I had a feeling after bars that everybody was trying too hard to stick landings,” said head coach Greg Marsden. “When you do that, more often then not, you make mistakes, it doesn’t work.”
The Red Rocks bounced back strong on the beam, however, scoring a 49.300 in the third event. Kim led Utah in the anchor spot, surpassing her previous career high of 9.925 by sticking a 9.950 in her last beam routine of the season.
Beam wasn’t the only career high record Kim broke. The senior also set a career high in the all-around competition, finishing on her senior night with a 39.600. Nina’s pervious career high took place earlier this season when Utah traveled to Nebraska, when she scored a 39.550.
“Going into the meet I just wanted to do the best that I could,” Kim said. “But during the meet I was just so relaxed and had so much fun with the girls, it was just an amazing feeling.”
“Nina has always had that potential,” Marsden said.
It was a night to remember not only for Kim but Baskett as well. Baskett tied her career high on the uneven bars (9.975) on her way to winning her sixth all-around. The Red Rock finished with a 39.675.
15,082 fans were on hand in the Huntsman Center, which combined to help break Utah’s own record, set previously in 1993, for largest average attendance per home meet.
“We had a feeling (we were going to break the record),” Marsden said. “Our numbers were just so much higher all year.”
“It’s just so cool to be apart of (breaking the attendance record),” Baskett said. “And to know we have had so much fan support in the past in the history of Utah gymnastics, to be a part of the team who’s fans broke the all time attendance record was special. I’m just really glad to have been a part of it, and I’m really glad I called (coach Marsden) and told him I’m coming (to Utah).”
The decision to come to Utah proved to be a wise one for both Kim and Baskett and while Utah fans saw them walk out of the Huntsman for the last time on Friday, there is still work to be done.
Utah continues its pursuit toward a national championship next Friday in Provo for its last home meet of the regular season.
