Utah Returns Home for Pac-12 Action

Friday, January 6

Salt Lake City, UT

7:00 PM

University of Utah

Arizona State

1/3/2017 2:18 PM | Women's Basketball

WBB_GameNotes_ASU_ARIZ

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah (12-1, 1-1) hosts No. 19 Arizona State Friday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. MT for the first home Pac-12 game of the season. The Utes also host Arizona Sunday, Jan. 8 at noon.

Game Coverage: Friday's and Sunday's contests will be aired on the Pac-12 Network.
Live stats will be available at utahutes.com. You can listen to the game on ESPN700 with Tyson Ewing.

Follow the Utes: Receive in-game updates as well as a behind the scenes look at the Utah women's basketball program throughout the season by keeping up with each of the Utes' social media accounts. 'Like' the Utes on Facebook (UtahWomensHoops) and 'Follow' on Twitter (@UtahWBB) and Instagram (@UtahWBB).

Scouting the Sun Devils: No. 19 Arizona State enters Friday's game with a 1-1 math in conference and 19-3 overall. Sophie Brunner is the team's leading scorer and rebounder with 12.6 points and 6.8 boards per contest. The Sun Devils hold a 12.2 scoring margin over their opponents while pulling down 10.8 more rebounds per game.

Scouting the Wildcats: Arizona enters the weekend 0-2 in Pac-12 play after falling to California and Stanford, and 9-4 overall. The Wildcats have two players averaging double figures with LaBrittney Jones (14.8) and Malen Washington (13.1). The team holds a 5.4 points scoring margin over opponents.

Ute-Fence: Utah ranks third in the NCAA and first in the Pac-12 in field-goal percentage defense with opponent shooting 32.2 percent from the floor. The Utes are eighth nationally and first in the league in block shots average, swatting 6.5 shots per contest. The team's perimeter defense holds opponents to 23.0 percent from the 3-point arc good for third in the nation and best in the Pac-12.

Potter in the Paint: Junior forward Emily Potter is ranked 13th in the nation and third in the Pac-12 in field-goal percentage as the 6-6 Winnipeg, Manitoba native is shooting 61.6 percent from the floor. Potter leads the Pac-12 in blocked shots with 41, good for seventh in the NCAA. Potter knocked down her 1,000th career point on a free-throw in the first quarter against Northern Arizona to emerge as one of just 26 Utes to reach the milestone.

Magnificent Malia: Junior wing Malia Nawahine is the second leading scorer for the Utes with 12.0 points per game as she leads the team from the foul line on 78-percent shooting. Nawahine grabbed a career-high five steals in a 30-point win over Nevada.

Boasting Boclair: Junior wing Tanaeya Boclair is one of three Utes scoring in double figures, averaging 10.8 points per game.

Cruzin' Crozon: Senior wing Paige Crozon is averaging 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The team's lone senior has tallied 804 career points with time to reach the 1,000 points club.

Buckets by Bean: Sophomore Erika Bean dishes out 7.2 assists per game, good for second in the Pac-12. Despite being the shortest starter, the 5-8 guard also has 10 blocks on the season while pulling down 4.8 rebounds per game.

Seeing Double: Junior forward Emily Potter has tallied six double-doubles in 13 games while also averaging in double figures with 17.4 points per game. Senior wing Paige Crozon earned her first double-double of the season against Fresno State. Sophomore guard Erika Bean earned her first double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 assists at No. 10 UCLA.

Record Watch: Junior forward Emily Potter is moving up the career blocks list in Utah's record book with 161 blocks as her 3-block performance against Nevada moved her into second. The 6-6 forward has swatted 42 shots this season including a season-high 6 blocks against USC. Potter has made her way into the 1,000 points club in a 22-point performance against Northern Arizona. Senior Wing Paige Crozon is on the hunt for her 1,000th career point as she's tallied 804 points.

Previous Action: Junior wing Malia Nawahine knocked down a 3-pointer with one minute to play in the game to give Utah the lead and take the win, 58-53, over USC. Sophomore guard Erika Bean secured the lead knocking down two free-throws with 1.1 seconds to play in the game. With the late win, Utah evens its Pac-12 record 1-1 and improves to 12-1 overall. Utah suffered its first loss of the season Friday night, falling 67-56 on the road to No. 10 UCLA to open Pac-12 Conference play at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion Junior forward Emily Potter scored a team-high 20 points for her seventh consecutive double-figure scoring game and 11th of the season. The 6-6 Canadian missed her first two shot attempts, but finished the first quarter 3-of-5 from the floor.