Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Eastern Kentucky on March 19, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 72
Final Score
Women's Basketball
58
at Eastern Kentucky
72
The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Women's Basketball Preview
10/28/2004 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 28, 2004
The 2004-05 University of Utah women's basketball team is coming off back-to-back 24-7 seasons and back-to-back Mountain West Conference Championships. However, the Utes only return two starters from last year's squad and nine members of this year's roster are underclassmen.
Ute head coach Elaine Elliott understands that this is just part of coaching collegiate basketball. As the 2004-05 season approaches, Elliott is preaching patience.
"We lose eight years of starting experience and replace it with zero," Elliott said. "We are very aware of the need to be patient and grow this team.
"College sports teams are never-ending cycles," Elliott continued. "We just finished one cycle and are beginning another. Last year, we were veteran-laced and this year, we have one senior."
While Utah has just two starters returning, Elliott and the Utes can take some solace that those two starters are juniors Kim Smith and Shona Thorburn. Smith is a two-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and a preseason All-America choice. Thorburn is a two-time second-team All-MWC selection.
"Kim and Shona have been the core of this team for the past two years and having them to build around for two more is comforting," Elliott said. "They will certainly need to move their games forward to help offset the losses of our seniors and to keep the burden off our youngsters, until they are more prepared to contribute."
Smith and Thorburn, who both hail from Canada, gained some valuable international experience over the summer. The two played for the Canadian National Team in a four-game series against Olympic qualifier Japan. The duo also took part in the Pan American Games and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament during the summer of 2003.
"Kim and Shona had a great series against the Japanese this summer," Elliott said. "I know it helped them with their international preparation, as success against Olympic competitors is what the Canadians need in their quest for Olympic qualification in 2008. It was short enough that Kim and Sho got to rest more than usual over the summer. But they experienced a big confidence-builder as well."
Smith and Thorburn are the only starters returning. So, who steps up to fill the shoes of the three departures?
"Losing three starters really opens the door to opportunity for others," Elliott commented. "Lana Sitterud is our only senior and has played an integral role in all of her three previous seasons. Outside of Lana, Kim and Shona, Julie Wood is our only other upperclassman. She will be given every oppotunity to increase her time and role on this year's squad. The reality is that we will have some younger players actually filling starting roles, as we have no `bigs' on our roster that are older than sophomore year."
Elliott is happy with the ability of the newcomers. But the veteran head coach said it is up to them as to who sees playing time.
"We have improved our athleticism, depth and flexibility with this group," Elliott said of the Utes' six freshmen. "The opportunity exists for our newcomers to contribute right away. Now it depends on them."
There are a few questions in regard to who the Utes will have on the floor in 2004-05. However, there isn't much doubt that the way the 2003-04 season ended will be one of Utah's main motivators this season.
Last year, the Utes put together a second consecutive 24-7 season, won a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season title and reached the MWC Tournament championship game. However, when NCAA Tournament berths were announced, Utah was not among the 64-team field. The disappointed Utes turned down an invitation to the WNIT after the NCAA Tournament snub.
"After a 24-7 season, a Mountain West Conference championship and a top 40 RPI, it was very difficult to be told it was not enough to gain a berth in the NCAAs," Elliott said. "I still have valid, lingering concerns about last year's ultimate fate, but they will not keep me from understanding that the season was, by every measure, an extremely successful one."
That NCAA decision was one of the more difficult things Elliott has dealt with in her career. While the sting won't ever go away, the Utes will be motivated to avoid that feeling again.
"I will forever remember how I felt and the impact it had on the team," Elliott said. "In all my 25 years of coaching, I have never been hit so hard by an NCAA committee decision. You can quit or you can move forward. We always move forward."
As the Utes move forward into the 2004-05 season, they will face one of the more challenging non-conference schedules in team history. Utah will face five teams which advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season and could face a sixth, depending on matchups in the Rainbow Wahine Tournament in Hawaii.
The Utes will host NCAA qualifier Stanford in the season-opener Nov. 19. Over an 11-day stretch in mid-December, Utah will face three straight NCAA Tournament teams. The Utes host TCU on Dec. 11, travel to Loyola Marymount Dec. 18 and then return to Salt Lake City for a matchup with Oklahoma on Dec. 21. Early January includes a matchup with Montana.
Elliott describes her team's non-conference slate in one word. "Brutal," she said. "A classic example of over-scheduling, for which I take responsibility. In our competitive niche, scheduling is inherently hard to control. You cannot turn down home games. This just happened to be a year when we had a combination of teams who were contracted to return to Utah and those who were willing to come here and play."
Elliott knows the non-conference season is going to be a stern test. But she is hoping the tough games will prove beneficial in the long run.
"I hope this will be a case where we are better than our early record may attest," she said. "At the same time, this schedule provides us a great opportunity. Can we surprise some people and get some big wins? As many basketball people are aware, you miss 100 percent of the shots you never take."
After the early-season gauntlet, Utah will head into the always competitive Mountain West Conference portion of its schedule. Elliott sees some definite positives and negatives in the conference calendar this season.
"It's great to have an ESPN game at home," Elliott said of the Feb. 19 game with New Mexico to be aired on ESPN2. "Yet that creates some scheduling imbalance in our travel that we will have to overcome. I think we will be sufficiently tested by that time to assume that we will tackle it with maturity."
The following is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2004-05 Utes.
Point Guard
The departure of Kelsy Stireman leaves the Utes without a prototypical point guard. Most of the time, ball-handling and running the offense will be the responsibility of Thorburn. Despite not playing much as a true point guard last season, Thorburn led Utah with 123 assists.
When Thorburn isn't directing the Ute offense on the floor, Smith may take over at the point. Wood will also see action in that position.
"Sho will be given the ball and the reins," Elliott said. "We will not field a team with a typical, pure point guard. At the same time, Sho is the best passer we have on the team and will make others around her better. It won't be a bad thing for us if Shona is driving more and setting up other shooters. When Sho isn't on the floor, you are likely to see Kim Smith or Julie Wood at the top of the key. I am not yet comfortable thinking one of our freshmen will be fulfilling that role."
Wings
Although Smith will play virtually anywhere on the floor for the Utes, the wing is her natural position. Returners Sitterud, Wood and Carlsen will all see action on the wings as well.
"You will see Kim Smith anywhere from the point to power forward," Elliott said. "When Kim isn't on the wing, Lana Sitterud and Julie Wood give us good experience and ability. Heidi Carlsen returns as a sophomore and has worked hard to improve her opportunity to play."
According to Elliott, Marie Warner, Sarah Red and Stephanie Red could all potentially contribute on the wings.
"Marie Warner will be the most true small forward we have," the head coach said. "Marie has great strength and athleticism. Stephanie and Sarah Red have both shown great early conditioning and work ethic. They give us some true running guards and will extend any defense."
Posts
Losing two starters in Carley Marshall and Mandie Little will make the post position one of little experience for the Utes. Underclassmen and newcomers are going to be relied upon to shoulder the load under the basket.
Returners Camie Allen and Shauna Brouillard are the only experienced post players for Utah. Allen averaged 6.2 minutes of playing time in 25 games, while Brouillard saw 5.2 minutes of action in 17 games last season.
"This is our least experienced position," Elliott said. "Most of our `bigs' will move between the four and five positions. Shauna Brouillard and Camie Allen will be able to float in and out of the four and five positions."
Freshmen Deanne Hanchett, Brittany Berg and Jessica Perry will all see action in the paint.
"Deanne Hanchett will train mostly at the post during her first season of development, while Brittany Berg will do so exclusively" Elliott said. "Jessica Perry will be expected to fill the four spot comfortably in our system."
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballUtah: 66, Cincinnati: 73 | Big 12 Tournament | Utah Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, March 11
Utah: 75, Baylor: 101 | Utah Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, March 08
Utah: 78, Colorado: 92 | Utah Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, March 04
Utah: 81, Colorado: 67 | Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, March 01