For the fourth time in their five tournament games, the Utes are hitting the road.
Utah (22-13, 8-10 Pac-12) heads to the Great Plains on Wednesday and will take on the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan, Kansas, in the Final Four of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. This is the first time in program history the women are playing in April, and they’ve never advanced this far in the tournament before.
But they don’t want to be done rewriting the Utah record books. They want two more wins to cap off their second season in the Pac-12, and it starts with the matchup against the Wildcats.
“This is what you play for,” said Utah head coach Anthony Levrets.
The first two games of the WNIT didn’t have a tournament feel, and they just seemed like extra games, Levrets said. However, he said the last two outings have had the postseason intensity for which March and April are known.
History aside, the fact that the Utes been on the road for almost every game is something they’re starting to relish.
“We’re embracing it, because that’s what we have to do,” Levrets said. “If we were at home, we’d embrace that too. But we’re on the road, and we’re going to try and have as much fun as we possibly can. That’s what you got to do this time of year.”
The last two games for the Utes have been nail biters. Last Thursday against Pacific, Michelle Plouffe hit a last-second three to send the game to overtime, and the Utes eked out a 60-55 win. On Saturday, the game came down to the final possession, but Utah’s defense stifled a shot attempt, and they escaped with a 58-55 victory over St. Mary’s.
“We’ve managed each night to do just enough to get the win,” Levrets said.
Senior guard Rachel Messer said victories that come down to the wire make the team stronger, and their postgame celebrations have certainly shown this mentality.
“It keeps everybody together,” Messer said. “It puts faith in each other.”
Kansas State has had a season similar to Utah’s. They won their first nine games and struggled in conference play before turning their game on during the WNIT.
The Wildcats (19-17 5-13 Big 10) average fewer points than their opponents, grab fewer rebounds and shoot nearly 9 percentage points worse. So the Utes have the advantage on paper, but the Wildcats have one major advantage — they are at home and have been all tournament long. They haven’t had to travel at all — the exact opposite of Utah.
“It’s always easier to play at home,” Messer said. “You’re more comfortable. It’s just what you’re used to, so I think that will definitely play to their advantage.”
However, she added the traveling won’t wear too much on her team, as the Utes are used to spending so much time on the road. Of their last nine games, only one has been at the Huntsman Center.
In addition to Utah and Kansas State, the other two teams competing on Wednesday for a spot in the championship are Drexel and Florida. If the Utes win, they will play on Saturday night against the winner of the Dragons-Gators matchup.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.