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7:00 PM
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
Saturday, November 29
Fresno, Calif.
7:00 PM
University of Utah
66
at
53
Fresno State
Utes Defeat Fresno State 66-53 to Claim Championship
11/29/2003 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 22/23 Utah women's basketball team tied a school record for three-pointers in a game with 13 as the Utes claimed the championship of the Fresno State Classic with a 66-53 win over host Fresno State tonight.
Sophomore All-America candidate Kim Smith was named tournament MVP after scoring 22 points, 18 of which came from three-point range. She also added six rebounds and two steals.
Sophomores Shona Thorburn and Julie Wood were also named to the all-tournament team. Thorburn posted a double-double - 13 points and 10 rebounds. She also dished out six assists and had two steals on the game. Wood finished with nine points on three treys.
"We're moving forward," Head Coach Elaine Elliott said. "We've seen a lot for the early part of the season - pressure, trapping - and that's been great. I like the competition we've faced early and our response to it.
Utah shot 49 percent from the field (26-of-53) on the game, including 54 percent from beyond the arc. The Utes were out-rebounded 33-30 and committed 19 turnovers compared to the 17 of the Bulldogs.
Utah scored the first nine points, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for the first 3:44 of the game. After the Utes went up 13-2, Fresno State went on a 9-0 run to cut the Utah lead to two, 13-11. The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game, 22-20, at the 7:44 mark. After a three-pointer, Fresno State made it a five-point lead, its biggest of the game. A Lana Sitterud trey with 19 seconds left put Utah up 33-31 at halftime.
The Utes shot 48 percent (13-of-27) from the field on the half, including 55 percent from downtown. Utah out-rebounded the Bulldogs 17-16, but turned the ball over 11 times.
Utah dominated the second half, holding Fresno State to just three points in the first 8:48 of the period. The Utes led by as many as 18 (56-38), but the Bulldogs scored seven straight points to cut it to 11. That would be as close as Fresno State would get as Utah hit seven three-points on the half to outscore the Bulldogs 33-22. The Utes shot 50 percent on the half and forced 10 Fresno State turnovers.
For the tournament, Smith averaged 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Thorburn averaged 11.0 points, eight rebounds and 7.5 assists, while Wood averaged 14 points on 9-of-12 shooting, all from downtown.
UP NEXT:
Utah hosts Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the Huntsman Center.
Players Mentioned
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