Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Western Colorado (EXHIBITION) on October 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
7:00 PM
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
The University of Utah Athletics
Wednesday, December 14
Salt Lake City, UT
3:00 PM
University of Utah
85
vs
58
Colorado
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Hunter Dyke/Utah Athletics
No. 13 Utes Open Pac-12 Play with 85-58 win over Colorado
12/14/2022 6:51 PM | Women's Basketball
Box ScoreHighlightsPostgame Press ConferencePac-12 Network: Alissa Pili interviewPac-12 Network PostgamePhoto Gallery
Pili, Kneepkens and Johnson lead the way as Utah moves to 9-0 on the season
SALT LAKE CITY – Junior forward Alissa Pili scored 25 points and sophomore guard Gianna Kneepkens added 17 to propel the 13th-ranked Utah women's basketball team to an 85-58 win over Colorado in each team's Pac-12 opener Wednesday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The Utes improved to 9-0 while Colorado is now 8-3.
Pili, who scored 28 points in each of her previous two games, was 10-of-14 from the floor on Wednesday, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, and added four rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists. Kneepkens notched her career-best seventh-consecutive double-figure scoring game on 7-of-11 shooting, and added six rebounds while tying her career high with five assists.
Sophomore Jenna Johnson also had a strong game for the Utes with 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while providing a physical presence and drawing three charging fouls from the Buffaloes.
Utah shot 57-percent from the field (33-58), which included a 40-percent clip from three-point range (10-15), while holding Colorado to 31-percent (18-58) from the field. It was Utah's fifth game this season with 10 or more three-pointers.
The teams played fairly even through the first quarter with Utah starting a slight run late in the frame to take a 19-17 lead after one period. The Utes broke the game open in the second quarter, extending that run to 26-4 run to build a 40-21 lead with 3:11 remaining in the half. Utah's defense also stepped up, holding Colorado without a field goal for 7:06 in the period, and the Utes carried a 44-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Utah extended the lead to 20, at 61-41, in the third quarter before Colorado made a run, scoring the last six points of the period to close the deficit to 13 points, at 63-50, entering the fourth quarter. But the Utes turned it on again and shot 64-percent in the final period to build a 28-point lead, its largest of the game, en route to the 85-58 win.
Alissa Pili (25), Gianna Kneepkens (17) and Jenna Johnson (14) led the way for the Utes on the scoreboard in dominating fashion over the Colorado Buffaloes. Pili has now scored 20+ points in four consecutive games and blocked three shots on Wednesday, her season high. Johnson led the team in rebounds, grabbing seven boards. Kneepkens accompanied her double-digit point total by tallying five assists and six rebounds, while Ines Vieira led the team with six assists.
TALKING ABOUT THE GAME: HEAD COACH LYNNE ROBERTS
"I am incredibly proud of our team. Anytime you can win in the Pac-12 it's a good day. I have a lot of respect for Colorado, they play hard, they run their stuff, and they're very well coached. The first quarter was back and forth, and it took us about six or seven minutes to wake up or play at the tempo and intensity that we normally do. From there, other than finishing the third quarter with a lack of intensity, I thought we did a good job."
"Our defense on the perimeter was very good. They're a top 15 team in the country in three-point percentage and we held them to 3 for 14. Our guards were flying around and Kennady (McQueen) did a tremendous job on (Frida) Foremann, she didn't hit a three and was rushed all game. Quay Miller is a talent for Colorado and Jenna (Johnson) took three charges on her and as a player, when you get charges called on you it makes you more tentative so those are little things in games that add up to big wins. I'm proud of everybody, Gianna (Kneepkens) and (Alissa) Pili were both incredibly efficient and with their numbers, it was just a great team win. A win in this league is a big deal and when you win by 27, it's a good day."
STANDOUT STAT
Utah is 9-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. This is the fifth time in program history that the Utes have started the season with nine consecutive wins in its program's 48 seasons. Utah now leads the all-time series with Colorado 21-20.
UP NEXT
Utah resumes non-conference play on Saturday, hosting UC Riverside. The game tips off at 12 p.m. at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Tyson Ewing and Milee Enger will have the call of the contest on ESPN700, and the livestream video and live stats can be found at UtahUtes.com.
Follow the Utes!
Fans can follow along during the 2022-23 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
Pili, who scored 28 points in each of her previous two games, was 10-of-14 from the floor on Wednesday, including 2-for-4 from three-point range, and added four rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists. Kneepkens notched her career-best seventh-consecutive double-figure scoring game on 7-of-11 shooting, and added six rebounds while tying her career high with five assists.
Sophomore Jenna Johnson also had a strong game for the Utes with 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while providing a physical presence and drawing three charging fouls from the Buffaloes.
Utah shot 57-percent from the field (33-58), which included a 40-percent clip from three-point range (10-15), while holding Colorado to 31-percent (18-58) from the field. It was Utah's fifth game this season with 10 or more three-pointers.
The teams played fairly even through the first quarter with Utah starting a slight run late in the frame to take a 19-17 lead after one period. The Utes broke the game open in the second quarter, extending that run to 26-4 run to build a 40-21 lead with 3:11 remaining in the half. Utah's defense also stepped up, holding Colorado without a field goal for 7:06 in the period, and the Utes carried a 44-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Utah extended the lead to 20, at 61-41, in the third quarter before Colorado made a run, scoring the last six points of the period to close the deficit to 13 points, at 63-50, entering the fourth quarter. But the Utes turned it on again and shot 64-percent in the final period to build a 28-point lead, its largest of the game, en route to the 85-58 win.
GAME LEADERSMade ya look... ?????#GoUtes https://t.co/O3FGo54pdM pic.twitter.com/nRim9s7wWn
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) December 14, 2022
Alissa Pili (25), Gianna Kneepkens (17) and Jenna Johnson (14) led the way for the Utes on the scoreboard in dominating fashion over the Colorado Buffaloes. Pili has now scored 20+ points in four consecutive games and blocked three shots on Wednesday, her season high. Johnson led the team in rebounds, grabbing seven boards. Kneepkens accompanied her double-digit point total by tallying five assists and six rebounds, while Ines Vieira led the team with six assists.
TALKING ABOUT THE GAME: HEAD COACH LYNNE ROBERTS
"I am incredibly proud of our team. Anytime you can win in the Pac-12 it's a good day. I have a lot of respect for Colorado, they play hard, they run their stuff, and they're very well coached. The first quarter was back and forth, and it took us about six or seven minutes to wake up or play at the tempo and intensity that we normally do. From there, other than finishing the third quarter with a lack of intensity, I thought we did a good job."
"Our defense on the perimeter was very good. They're a top 15 team in the country in three-point percentage and we held them to 3 for 14. Our guards were flying around and Kennady (McQueen) did a tremendous job on (Frida) Foremann, she didn't hit a three and was rushed all game. Quay Miller is a talent for Colorado and Jenna (Johnson) took three charges on her and as a player, when you get charges called on you it makes you more tentative so those are little things in games that add up to big wins. I'm proud of everybody, Gianna (Kneepkens) and (Alissa) Pili were both incredibly efficient and with their numbers, it was just a great team win. A win in this league is a big deal and when you win by 27, it's a good day."
STANDOUT STAT
Utah is 9-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. This is the fifth time in program history that the Utes have started the season with nine consecutive wins in its program's 48 seasons. Utah now leads the all-time series with Colorado 21-20.
UP NEXT
Utah resumes non-conference play on Saturday, hosting UC Riverside. The game tips off at 12 p.m. at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Tyson Ewing and Milee Enger will have the call of the contest on ESPN700, and the livestream video and live stats can be found at UtahUtes.com.
Follow the Utes!
Fans can follow along during the 2022-23 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
?? ?? ?? ?? ?? @giannakneepkens with 17p/5a/3r
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) December 14, 2022
?? https://t.co/xwFlB14nkJ@UtahWBB | #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/hVQLiCck7u
Leading scorer again? Guess who... @alissa_pili
— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) December 14, 2022
Pili now with 25 on 10-14 shooting with 6:51 to play.#GoUtes
?? https://t.co/0nAFuWQy5r pic.twitter.com/irGYCk2wvk
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