This week, Utah Women’s Basketball played two games, winning against Houston on the road and losing against Baylor at home. As it stands now, the Utes are projected to make the NCAA tournament as a potential First Four team, where two 11-seed teams play to make the tournament.
Game 1: Wednesday, vs No. 16 Baylor
Senior guard Lani White kicked off the scoring for the Utes with a long three-pointer. Junior Forward Chyra Evans scored next on a driving layup and finished with four points in the quarter. White scored another six points to finish with nine in the quarter. The Utes stayed competitive throughout the first quarter, going into the second quarter down 21-18.
In the second quarter, the Utes went cold and scored only six points. Baylor played great defense and limited good looks at the basket. The Utes managed to pull within one point before Baylor went on a 10-0 run in the last four minutes of the half to take a 35-24 lead. Baylor outscored the Utes 14-6 in the second quarter.
Coming out of halftime, the Utes were unable to get going, despite back-to-back baskets in the first minute of the half. After those baskets, another three-minute scoring drought pushed the Baylor lead to 15 before a Maty Wilke three-point jumper. The Bears outscored Utah 14-13 in the quarter, taking advantage of multiple-minute scoring droughts to push the lead to 49-37.
In the fourth quarter, Evans hit three free throws and a tip-in layup to score five of the team’s eight points. Lani White and Chyra Evans both finished in double figures with 14 points apiece. Evans recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Utah as a team shot 26.2 percent from the field and 12 percent from three. Baylor was held to 38.7 percent shooting, but the Utes’ struggles on offense put too much pressure on their defense.
Game 2: Saturday, vs Houston
Lani White started the scoring off for the Utes with a three-point jumper off a Maty Wilke offensive rebound. She would drain two more three-pointers in the quarter, scoring nine points in the first frame. Forward Evelina Otto scored twice in the post, and freshman guard Avery Hjelmstad splashed a 25-foot three-point jump shot. The Utes used four three-point baskets to take a 20-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, White hit her fourth three-pointer of the game. Hjelmstad hit back-to-back three-point jumpers to push the lead to 17 points. Otto then scored an and-1 basket, hitting a jumper and the free throw. Right before the half, freshman guard LA Sneed hit a layup with three seconds left. The Utes outscored Houston 22-8 in the second quarter, taking a 42-21 lead into halftime. The Utes dominated the first half, particularly from three-point range and defensively.
Guard Brooke Walker kicked off the scoring in the second half for the Utes by draining a long three-pointer. Wilke followed that up 90 seconds later with another three-pointer. Hjelmstad then hit her fourth three-pointer of the game. The Utes slowed down out of the half, only scoring three baskets (all three-pointers) and 10 points total. Houston outscored Utah 19-10, closing the Utah lead to 12. Utah 52 Houston 40
To close the game, the Utes were able to hold the lead and keep the Cougars from coming back. Sneed scored six of her nine points in the quarter, while White scored seven points. Evans added two baskets, while Hjelmstad drained two free throws. Houston outscored Utah 21-19 in the final frame, but Utah held on to win 71-61. Lani White scored a team high 19 points on 7/9 shooting from the field, and 4/6 from three point range. Avery Hjelmstad finished with 14 points and four three-point makes of her own. Sneed and Otto scored nine apiece to round off the scoring leaders. Utah shot 47.3% from the field while Houston shot 33.3%. Utah shot 39.3% from three (11-of-28) while Houston shot 26.3% (5-of-19).
Next up
The Utes’ next two games are both at the Huntsman Center. On Jan. 24, they face Texas Tech, and West Virginia on Jan. 27.
