Utah women’s basketball geared up to take on the Princeton Tigers at home on Sunday, Dec. 8. The 79-76 victory takes the Utes to 8-2 on the year as they prepare for the start of conference play on Dec. 21. 

The Princeton Tigers didn’t fail to make it an interesting one, as two clutch free throws from Gianna Kneepkens helped edge the Utes over their Ivy League opponent. 

A hard-fought battle gave coach Gavin Petersen a lot to say post-game. He started his press conference by saying, “Hats off to Princeton. I knew it was going to be a game.”

“I just have so much respect for them and their program,” he added. “They’re always going to be in games because they don’t relent and they don’t give up. That’s something I believe we are as well.” 

The Lady Runnin’ Utes haven’t had any shortage of preseason excitement. Wire-to-wire games with Northwestern, Saint Joseph’s, Mississippi State and Notre Dame have all given the Utes valuable experience that they hope to build on as the season progresses. 

Petersen is heavily in favor of putting his team in challenging conditions early on in the season. 

“I think it’s good that we’re put in these types of situations. I mean, Princeton’s an NCAA tournament team,” he said. “They’re going to be there in March, so this gives us a glimpse into conference play, the intensity of it, how close it’s going to be, so it is good that we’re able to execute end-game situations by being on the same page.” 

Kneepkens added the clutch time experience was invaluable for her as a player.

“As much as you practice, you can never practice those situations,” she said. “Just getting those reps and being able to understand how to stay steady and consistent and execute in those moments is huge. Obviously, you never want it to be close, but it’s a good thing to have experience with this stuff.”

Some standout performances for the Utes allowed them to hang on to their late lead. Kneepkens’ 19 points, three rebounds and four assists were crucial in closing out the Tigers, as 15 of her points came in the second half. Mayè Tourè added 15 points of her own to pair with five rebounds. Junior guard Matyson Wilke continued her hot streak with 14 points off the bench, shooting 4-5 from three. 

Looking forward, the Utes will get a week of rest before traveling to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies. The 7-3 Huskies will be a familiar foe for this veteran Runnin’ Utes roster as a team that they split the regular season series with during the 2023-24 season. 

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