The University of Utah women’s basketball squad defeated Western Colorado 90-56 in their exhibition game this Monday, Oct. 27.
Reese Ross had a team high of 13 points, with four other Utes scoring in double digits right behind her. Utah used a strong lead to give depth pieces some action, as every player who received minutes scored.
First half
To start the game, the Utes fell to a five-point deficit after a shooting foul and a 3-pointer by Western Colorado. Soon after, Brooke Walker drained a mid-range jump shot to kick off scoring for the Utes. After another 5-0 run for Western Colorado, the Utes found themselves down 2-12 to start the game. After another made shot by Western Colorado, LA Sneed would drain a two-pointer that kicked off an individual run, scoring and assisting the next eight points for the Utes, as well as a steal to get herself a layup. Thanks to this run, the Utes clawed back, coming just shy of Western Colorado, trailing by just 13-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Lani White, returning for Utah this year, scored the first points of the quarter with a pair of free throws to give the Utes a lead. She then made an impact on the other side of the ball with a block, which led to a layup by Ross for her first points. Just after, Ross made a 3-pointer to keep the momentum rolling. Some back-and-forth scoring went on for a while until White and Maty Wilke drained back-to-back threes. Before the end of the second quarter, Utah went on a 10-0 run, boosting the lead to 39-30. Utah went 10-10 at the line, and the bench outscored Western Colorado 13-2 in the second, giving the Utes a much-needed spark.
Wilke opened the second half with a quick layup, taking just nine seconds. Shortly after, Ross scored four straight at the line from back-back fouls from Western Colorado. The Utes built up a 16-point lead and were gaining lots of momentum. Wilke then grabbed a steal and handed it off to Walker for a quick layup. After some more action, we saw Ross score at will. Utah’s offensive dominance didn’t end there, however, as Wilke was able to continue to score at the same level. Utah’s defense was also an anchor in the third quarter, allowing just two points in almost half of the period. Utah extended its lead by over twenty points, sporting a 71-45 lead entering the fourth.
To start the fourth quarter for the Utes, Walker got a steal, getting herself set up for an easy layup. Following this, Chrya Evans made a jumper and another layup from Alyssa Blanck. The Utes would proceed to set the pace for the quarter, finishing the game with a score of 90-56.
Utah showed a presence in how deep their roster is, with all players scoring as well as having 48 total bench points. The Utes shot 47.9% from the field, but only 23.3% from the three-point line. Utah dominated the paint as well, securing 54 rebounds throughout the game.
Next up
Utah’s next game will be against Sioux Falls on Nov. 3 in Salt Lake City. You can catch the Utes looking to stand out this season, with this game being a good warm-up for the team.
