Utes Push Past Purdue, 81-68

Monday, November 20

Salt Lake City, Utah

7:00 PM

University of Utah

3-1

Purdue

3-1

Purdue

UTAH

11/20/2017 10:04 PM | Women's Basketball

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SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's basketball program came away with a big win over Big Ten foe Purdue on Monday night, winning 81-68 to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Purdue only led for a little over three minutes of the game, giving way to a composed Utah team that turned in a well-rounded victory over the Boilermakers.

"I think last year, we may not have answered when things got a little tight, but that shows the progression of our team and the program," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "We just answered the bell. I told them at halftime that they were going to come after them. They are a good team, they are well coached so you better buckle up. They made a run, but I never got the sense that our team tightened up, which was awesome. We are getting better as a team."

It was a team win for the Utes with Megan Huff leading the way with a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds for her second consecutive game with 20-or-more points. Tori Williams contributed 15 points in her second career start with Daneesha Provo leading the bench with 13 points.

Along with Provo, Tanaeya BoClair was key off the bench for the Utes, scoring nine pointsand adding four assists. Erika Bean also conducted a top-notch passing game for the Utes against the Boilermakers, dishing out a season-high tying seven assists. Rounding out Utah's double-digit scorers was Emily Potter with 10 points.

The Utes held a four-point lead at the end of the first quarter after Huff continued to shoot lights out, going 3-for-3 from the floor for six points. Despite Purdue taking a four-point lead with 4:24 left to play in the quarter, the Utes remained on their toes, going on a 10-2 run to close out the first quarter with a 22-18 lead.

The runs continued for the Utes in the second quarter as they went on an 11-0 scoring streak sparked by seven points from Huff to give them a 38-24 lead with 4:27 on the clock. Huff scored 11 of her points in the second quarter with three of her four made shots coming off passes from Bean, putting the Utes up 45-34 heading into halftime.

The Boilermakers came out shooting 66-percent from the floor in the third quarter and quickly cut the Utah lead to just four points with 6:07 remaining, but the Utes countered with four unanswered points to put Utah back up 51-43. Every big play Purdue had to whittle away at Utah's lead, the Utes had an answer, leading by as many as 10 and going into the fourth quarter up 65-59.

Williams hit back-to-back threes to open the fourth quarter, giving them 71-61 lead with most of the quarter to go. The Utes were able to hold Purdue to just 26-percent shooting in the final quarter. The freshman from Boise, Idaho scored 10 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, helping Utah seal the 81-68 victory.

Utah will continue its home stand with a game against Incarnate Word on Friday, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m. in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.