Utah Drops Road Game at Colorado

Wednesday, January 25

Boulder, CO

7:00 PM

University of Utah

13-7, 2-7Pac-12

Colorado

12-8, 2-7Pac-12

Utah

Colorado

Photo by: Steve Wilson

1/25/2017 8:59 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score WBB_GameNotes_Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – University of Utah women's basketball suffered its third consecutive road loss falling 54-49 to Colorado Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center.

Utah (13-7, 2-7) returns to Salt Lake City to host the Buffalos (12-8, 2-7) for the second half of the two-game series Saturday at 12:30 p.m. inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

Senior wing Paige Crozon scored a team-high 12 points while also pulling down five rebounds and grabbing two steals.

Freshman guard Kiana Moore was perfect from the foul line on 5-of-5 for a game total 11 points with three steals. The team finished 10-of-13 from the foul line on 77 percent shooting.

"We need to fix our offense; we have not been able to score recently and we need to take better shots," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "Players have to make shots because we're not scoring enough.

"I thought both our freshmen did a really nice job – Kiana Moore and Megan Jacobs both played well for us. Paige (Corzon) shot the ball for us and I thought Emily Potter did everything she could too. It's hard because other teams are always going to collapse on her and she's fighting."

Utah shot 40 percent in the fourth quarter, but finished the game shooting 31 percent on the night as both teams struggled from the floor.

Sophomore wing Daneesha Provo made her first start of her career as the Utes deputed a new starting lineup for the first time this season with junior wing Tanaeya Boclair sitting out.

Sophomore point guard Erika Bean put Utah on the board first after the two teams combined for 0-for-4 from the floor to open the game. Colorado claimed the lead early in the first quarter on a tipped ball on the defensive end and a layup, 6-4. The Buff's Kennedy Leonard connected on a 3-pointer to jump out to a five-point lead. Utah continued to struggle on the offensive side of the floor as the Buffs went on a 10-0 run before the first media timeout to lead 12-4.

Junior wing Malia Nawahine scored the Ute's first 3-pointer, but Colorado answered with one of their own for another 10-point lead, 17-7. Utah played Moore and Bean together for the first time and the two guards did not disappoint as the two combined for Ute's last six points of the quarter. Wendy Anae picked up a block at the whistle as the Utes trailed 17-14.

The Utes continued with a 7-0 run form the first quarter, but were stopped by another 3-pointer from Colorado to trail, 20-16. After a 2:28 scoring drought, Crozon grabbed a steal for a fast break layup and Moore connected on two free-throws to trail by two points. The Buffs pulled ahead, but freshman wing Megan Jacobs scored a layup to tie the game 24-24 before the end of the first half.

Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter shooting 13 percent from the floor, but Utah finished the first half shooting 9-of-10 from the foul line compared to Colorado's 3-of-8. Utah's post players stepped up defensively in the half combining for four of Utah's five blocks. Moore finished the half with a team-high six points for the Utes.

Utah wasted no time getting on the board in the second half as Crozon scored off of the inbound play to open the third quarter. Colorado went 4-for-4 on its first shot attempts to jump out to a four-point lead. Utah took the lead on a layup from Moore, 33-32, who drew the foul for an and-one to go up, 34-32. Colorado got back on top by one point off a steal and a handoff-layup, 37-36, and continued to control the quarter to lead 41-36 at the end of the third period.

Two and a half minutes into the fourth quarter Colorado was first on the board before senior forward Emily Potter connected on her first field goal of the game. With the Utes trailing 43-38, Colorado went nearly three minutes without a basket until connecting on 2-of-4 from the foul line.

Utah scored a quick five points to trail by two, 45-43, as Jacobs scored a layup to tie the game, but the Buffs answered with a three-point–play at the other end. Potter scored to get Utah within one, but Colorado scored again with 35 seconds to play. The Utes picked up a foul and Colorado went to the line in the bonus making both free throws. Moore drove past everyone for another layup, but Colorado found themselves with two more free-throws to take a five-point lead and the win.

Utah returns to Salt Lake City to host the Buffalos Saturday at 12:30 p.m. inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network or live on ESPN700.