SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's basketball team notched a come from behind victory on senior day today against the No. 21 Arizona State Sun Devils, winning the game 75-71. The Utes improved to 13-14 overall and 6-10 in Pac-12 play.
The rally began in the second quarter with the Utes down 13 points with 1:35 to play when senior
Kiana Moore knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to cut the ASU lead to seven at halftime. The Utes continued to whittle away at the Sun Devil lead in the third quarter, shooting 58-percent from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 from the arc in the period.
With 7:01 to go in the third, the Utes made it a three-point game when
Dru Gylten got a steal and took it coast-to-coast for two points. A key three-pointer from senior
Daneesha Provo with 6:01 would go on to spark an 8-0 run by the Utes with freshman
Brynna Maxwell knocking down a three to cap it off and put the Utes up 50-48 with 4:43 remaining in the third quarter.
The Utes wouldn't trail for the rest of the game as Maxwell and Provo would combine for 14 of Utah's 26 fourth quarter points. Utah led by as many as eight points with under three minutes to play in the game with the Utes knocking down key free throws down the stretch for the win.
Utah finished the game shooting 55-percent from the floor and 52-percent from the arc, also out-rebounding the Sun Devils 33-30.
LEADERS
Maxwell and
Andrea Torres led the Utes with 15 points each, both shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Provo, in her final regular season game in the Huntsman Center, scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
Gylten added a double-double on 10 points and a career-high 12 assists. Moore contributed nine points on a perfect shooting outing, going 3-for-3 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the three.
TALKING ABOUT THE GAME: Head Coach Lynne Roberts
"Arizona State is very good and they are so hard to beat. I thought today our team was tremendously mentally tough. We talked about how Arizona State does a really good job of how they compete and they make you earn everything. I thought our kids stayed next play mentality and that allowed us to start cutting their lead. I thought our third quarter might have been the best quarter we've played all year in terms of our defense. They didn't get a single offensive rebound."
"Senior day is always bitter sweet. I was saying before the game, Kiana and Daneesha were our first two recruits when we got here as a staff. I will always remember these guys. I am so pleased and happy for them that we won today."
STANDOUT STAT
Dru Gylten dished out a career-high 12 assists tonight, her third time reaching double-digit assists this season and the fifth time in her career. She also added 10 points and 5 rebounds.
It was her second career double-double, also notching 10 points and 10 rebounds against Arizona on Jan. 6, 2019.
NOTABLE
- Andrea Torres scored a season-high 15 points today, her seventh game in double-digits this season.
- Dru Gylten has scored in double-digits in three straight games, averaging 15.7 points per game in that span. She scored 10 points today that included going 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
- Brynna Maxwell knocked down three more shots from the arc against the Sun Devils (3-4), giving her 73 total this season, four away from cracking the top-five all-time at Utah in single-season threes.
- Utah has had double-digit three-pointers in back-to-back games, recording 11 today against the Sun Devils and 10 against Arizona on Friday. The Utes have had 10+ threes in a game nine times this season.
- The Utes have shot 50-percent or higher from the arc in back-to-back games. Utah was 52-percent from the three today and 50-percent against the Wildcats.
- The Utes have beat at least one Top 25 opponent in all five of head coach Lynne Roberts seasons at Utah.
UP NEXT
Utah will travel to Los Angeles, Calif. for its final regular season games, taking on the USC Trojans and the No. 8 UCLA Bruins. The Utes start the trip at USC on Friday, Feb. 28 with a 7 p.m. MT tip on Pac-12 Mountain.