The Utah women’s basketball team faced the No. 9-seeded Indiana Hoosiers and fell short with a 76-68 loss.
Gianna Kneepkens was the lead scorer for the Utes with 24 points with four 3-pointers. This was followed by Mayè Tourè with 18 points, then Kennady McQueen with nine points. The Utes end the season with a 22-9 record, marking an overall successful first year for head coach Gavin Petersen.
After the game, Petersen celebrated Utah and their players’ performance, stating that he was happy with his team and the impact the players have on their program in an emotional press conference.
“Extremely proud of our team, not only for this season and what we have accomplished, but our graduating senior class and the legacy they have left,” he said. “The scoreboard for one game does not define their success and how they have impacted our program at Utah.”
First Half
To start the game, both teams were visibly struggling on offense. Utah started 0-3 while holding the opposition to 1-5, but despite starting slow, Tourè scored the first six points for Utah. Throughout the first quarter, both teams would go basket for basket and ended the quarter in a tie, 17-17.
To start the second quarter, the Ute offense got hot with nine straight points to go on a run after a score by the Hoosiers. However, both teams got cold, and no shots besides free throws were made for almost five minutes. Snapping the energy, Kneepkens would hit a three to end the cold streak and the quarter for the Utes, who were still tied 37-37 at the half.
Second Half
Despite scoring five points in the first minute of the second half, the Utes found themselves getting cold again throughout the quarter. The team found themselves in a three-minute scoring drought, which allowed Indiana to go on a run of their own. Afterward, the Utes still faced trouble scoring consistently at the pace of their opponents, which kept Indiana up at the end of the quarter at 58-47.
Throughout the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers were able to keep up with Utah’s pace, not allowing them to get past the Indiana gates. However, Jenna Johnson came up to hit a three, getting the game within four points with only 2:30 to go on the clock. After some scoring from both sides, McQueen was able to get another three in to get the deficit back to four. After a good defensive possession, the Utes had the chance to make it a one-point game, however could not capitalize. This was unfortunately the final nail in the coffin, as the 76-68 loss dropped Utah from the NCAA tournament.
