Utes Move Past Nevada, 87-61

Friday, November 10

Salt Lake City, Utah

5:30 PM

University of Utah

1-0, 0-0

Nevada

0-1, 0-0

Nevada

UTAH

11/10/2017 8:30 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SALT LAKE CITY – It was a high-scoring affair on Friday night in Utah women's basketball season opener as the Utes moved past the Nevada Wolf Pack, 87-61.

Utah's season-high three-pointers made last season was 12 and they wasted no time surpassing that number by knocking down 13 in its first outing. The Utes had four players reach double-digits with true freshman Tori Williams leading the way with 18. All 10 of Utah's players that saw action tonight score points with the Ute bench scoring 45 of Utah's 87 points.

The Boise, Idaho native knocked down six three-pointers (6-for-9) all in the second half, just one shy of tying the Jon M. Huntsman Center record for single-game threes. Emily Potter added her 31^st career double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds while Megan Huff and Daneesha Provo chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively.

The Wolf Pack kept it close to start the game, only trailing three points to end the first quarter. Nevada held an 8-4 lead with 6:33 left to go in the first quarter, but that would be their only lead of the night with Potter and Provo combining for five straight points, pulling ahead 9-8 with 5:38 left to play.

Provo continued to have a hot hand from deep, shooting 50-percent from the arc in the second quarter, including one with six seconds left to send the Utes into halftime up double digits. The Ute defense also improved in the second quarter, holding Nevada to just 20-percent shooting from the field while forcing seven turnovers, taking the 36-26 lead into the third quarter.

Nevada was within 10 with 5:25 left in the quarter, but Huff's quick shot turned into seven unanswered points, giving the Utes a comfortable lead. The third quarter was Huff's time to shine, scoring 10 of her 14 points going 4-for-5 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the three. Potter was also dominant in the paint in the third, grabbing seven of her 16 rebounds, adding a block.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Williams was 0-for-3 from the three-point line, but with confidence comes points as she went a perfect 6-for-6 from the arc for all 18 of her points. Three of her six buckets from deep came in sequence as she extended the Utah lead to 28 points with 5:58 left in the game with Utah eventually picking up the 87-61 win.

The Utes return to action on Monday, Nov. 13 as they take on Alabama in a Pac-12, SEC clash at 6 p.m. MT. The game will air on SEC Network + with fans also having the option to tune in to Utah Sports Radio Network on ESPN 700 with Tyson Ewing calling the shots.