In what can only be described as a beat down, the University of Utah women’s basketball team was ran out of the Maples Pavilion at the hands of the No. 6 ranked Stanford Cardinal by a score of 82-54.

While the final score was a blowout, the Utes held tough with Stanford in the early minutes of the game. Utah was able to even the game at eight points a piece halfway through the first quarter. 

However, that would be the last time the Utes saw the ball go through the net in the first quarter, as Utah hit an offensive cold streak. Stanford would seize the opportunity and jump on a 15-0 run to close the first period with a 23-8 advantage. 

Finding themselves once again trailing big in the second quarter, Utah began what has become all too familiar for them, chipping away at the deficit and doubling down on defense. Utah’s efforts were rewarded, as they held Stanford to only 17 points in the second quarter, while scoring 17 of their own. 

Down at 18 at the beginning of the second, the Utes were able to cut their deficit down to 11 with little over a minute in the second. Stanford was able to score a few last minutes points and carried a 40-25 lead into the locker room. 

While Utah was showing signs of life before the intermission, their offensive luck ran out in the second half.  Utah would fall victim to an explosive 13-0 run by the Cardinal to start the third. Utah was unable to battle back, due to their dismal 9% shooting from the field.

Utah would not hit a field goal in the third until the 3:26 mark. 

Although barely scoring at all in the third, Utah found some resemblance of rhythm in the final period. Utah ended up shooting 61% from the field in the final frame, easily their best performance of the game. 

Yet, despite their last-minute surge, the Utes were unable to surmount the gap they had fallen into. Utah would fall to the Cardinal, dropping their Pac 12 record to 2-8 and 5-11 overall. 

Utah was led in scoring by Kemery Martín, who had 11 points in 25 minutes. Martin was followed by Kennady McQueen with 10 points and Kelsey Rees with nine. 

With five games left on the schedule, the Utes will need to find another gear to finish the season strong. With only Pac-12 teams left on the schedule, the closing act will not be any easier. 

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Utes suffered from excessive turnovers and offensive cold streaks. While forgivable in the early portions of the season, Utah’s inability to eliminate turnovers has been their biggest downfall. 

Stanford scored 10 points in the first quarter alone off of turnovers, which set the tone for the entire matchup. Combine the turnovers with the long streaks of limited to no offense and it is not hard to see why the Utes have been struggling. 

With this beat down behind them, the lady Utes look forward to next week where they will face UCLA and USC in the Huntsman center. With only three home games left in the season, Utah needs to seize the opportunity. 

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