Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Western Colorado (EXHIBITION) on October 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
7:00 PM
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
Sunday, February 8
Las Vegas, Nev.
12:00 PM (PDT)
University of Utah
72
at
55
UNLV*
Utah Women Take Down UNLV, 72-55
2/8/2004 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2004
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Utah women's basketball team solidified its place atop the Mountain West Conference standings with a 72-55 win at UNLV this afternoon. With the win, the Utes are now two games ahead of the Lady Rebels in the conference standings with a 17-4 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in MWC play.
Utah shot 54 percent from the field on the game and held the Lady Rebels to just 34 percent. The Utes also out-rebounded UNLV 34 to 33. Utah finished with 14 assists and the game, compared to the just six of the Lady Rebels.
"We played smart basketball," Head Coach Elaine Elliott said. "We negated their strengths for the most part. We played so aggressively."
Sophomore All-America candidate Kim Smith posted her fifth double-double of the season and her second in a row, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She also added two assists and a steal. Senior Kelsy Stireman finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while junior Lana Sitterud had 12 points. Senior Carley Marshall pulled down six rebounds and sophomore Shona Thorburn finished with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.
After a close start in the first half, Utah used a 6-0 run to build a nine-point lead (28-19), but after both teams traded baskets, the Rebels answered with six straight points to cut the Utah lead to two. By halftime, the Utes were up by five, 35-30. Utah shot 50 percent from the field on the half, while holding UNLV to 35 percent. The Utes also out-rebounded the Lady Rebels, the MWC's top rebounding team, 20-16. Smith led Utah with 14 points on the half, followed by Marshall with eight. Both pulled down six rebounds apiece.
The second half was a series of runs by both teams. After the Lady Rebels scored a quick basket in the second half, the Utes went on an 8-0 run to take an 11-point lead (43-32). UNLV came right back with eight straight points to cut it to three. Utah answered with a 17-point run to take its biggest lead of the game at 20 points (62-42) and seal the victory. Utah shot 56 percent from the field on the half, including 50 percent from downtown.
UP NEXT:
The Utes return home for games against Colorado State and Wyoming next Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 12 and 14. Thursday's game starts at 7 p.m., while the Saturday game tips-off at 3 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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