Utah Women’s Basketball is 2-0 to start the 2024-25 season, but head coach Lynne Roberts is unsatisfied.
The Runnin’ Utes took the floor on Thursday, Nov. 7 to take on the Weber State Wildcats. A dominant first half had the Utes up 47-14 before they took their foot off the gas and coasted to an 86-46 victory.
During the post-game press conference, Roberts expressed her discontent with the team’s second half saying, “I’m happy with the win. I’m not at all happy with our second half … It’s hard to be grumpy after a 40-point win but somehow I am.”
Despite a relatively unconvincing win, Roberts made sure to shout out her stars of the night. Mayé Touré and Inês Vieira were two mentioned.
Touré had a career game down low. Her team-leading 22 points and five rebounds helped the Utes secure an early lead and never look back. The fifth-year grad student from Rhode Island spoke highly of her teammates post-game.
“I feel like my teammates were great at trying to find me in good positions to play my game,” she said. “I can’t do it by myself so I’m grateful they’re here.”
One teammate who looked to have a special connection with Touré was Inês Vieira. Vieira finished the night with eight assists and 12 points to pair with only one turnover. Her efficient passing and playmaking led to open shots for her teammates.
Gianna Kneepkens and Kennady McQueen knocked down their shots. Kneepkens shot 3/5 from 3-point range in 22 minutes to end the game with 15 points, while McQueen knocked down three triples of her own to secure her second consecutive 13-point game.
Offense hasn’t been the only strong suit for Utah thus far. The defense has shown up in each of its first two games, forcing a combined 50 turnovers. This accomplishment is something Coach Roberts has been proud of from her team. She hopes the defensive aggression will continue for a full 32 minutes rather than just a half, but she believes things will get turned around.
“I can tell you right now that we’re better than that,” she said. “I don’t anticipate us casually flying to Chicago like, ‘Eh, no big deal.’ I know that we’ll be ready to go.”
Looking ahead, the team will travel to take on Northwestern. The game will be played in Evanston, Illinois next Thursday at 5:00 p.m. MST.
