Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Western Colorado (EXHIBITION) on October 27, 2025 at TBD
TBD
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
Friday, November 24
Salt Lake City, UT
7:30 PM
University of Utah
5-1,0-0Pac-12
98
vs
34
Merrimack
1-5,0-0NEC
1
2
3
4
F
Merrimack
7
8
3
16
34
Utah
28
27
24
19
98
Photo by: Liv Medivitz/Utah Athletics
No. 10 Utah Picks Up 98-34 Victory Over Merrimack
11/24/2023 11:33 PM | Women's Basketball
SALT LAKE CITY – The No.10 Utah women's basketball team locked in with a 98-34 win over Merrimack College Friday night.
Utah started the game firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. Gianna Kneepkens knocked down a three just 30 seconds after tip off. Alissa Pili, Jenna Johnson and Inês Vieira all knocked down shots from beyond the arc over the next three minutes. Vieira made a layup, off a steal, on the fast break, to give Utah an 8-0 run. Kennady McQueen then took her turn draining a three ball with 5:01 on the clock. Utah had five made threes, from five different Utes all in the first five minutes of play.
Utah continued the hot streak ending the first quarter on a 21-2 run. The Utes held the Warriors to just three field goals in the first quarter and forced the Warriors into an 8:30 scoring drought.
Back-to-back made layups by Pili sparked a 20-3 run for Utah in the second quarter. Utah's defense powered up forcing 10 turnovers in the second quarter and held Merrimack to just eight points. Going into halftime Utah had a 55-15 lead over Merrimack.
Utah intensified its momentum defensively in the third quarter. The Utes held Merrimack to just three points with one made field goal and one made free throw. Utah forced six more turnovers from five steals. Going into the fourth quarter Utah had a 79-18 lead.
The Utes powered through to claim a 64-point win with a 98-34 final score.
Utah had four players score in double figures and were led by Pili's 22 points. She went 8-11 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line. McQueen knocked down a season-high 18 points, including six made three pointers. Maty Wilke also recorded a season high with her 11 points.
Ines Vieira put up another impressive stat line with her eight points, including two from beyond the arc, 11 assists and five steals.
COMPARISON
Utah ended the game shooting 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from beyond the arc, and 71 percent from the free throw line. Utah pulled down 50 total rebounds including 17 offensive boards. The Utes had 28 assists, 15 steals and 12 turnovers.
Merrimack shot 27 percent from the field, 20 percent from the three and 50 percent from the free throw line. The Warriors ended the game with 28 rebounds, eight assists, six steals and 25 turnovers.
WHAT LYNNE ROBERTS SAID
Opening Statement
"Good win for us. I thought our defense was much, much better, which has been a point of emphasis. I saw the effort was there. In that first quarter we had seven different players hit a three [pointer]. That's pretty impressive. We had a lot of three's, and we didn't shoot a tremendous percentage, 38 percent is still good, but it's not the best we can do. I thought we passed the ball well, 28 assists on 33 baskets. We continued to move the ball and be unselfish. Great win, and I'm proud of our team."
On Inês Vieira…
"I think something we haven't talked about is Inês. She had 11 assists, no turnovers, and five steals. She's playing just an incredible clip right now. [She's] shooting the ball well, the game has slowed down for her, she is playing so well in the absence of Izzy [Isabel Palmer] right now and we're going to need that. Up in Alaska, too, was remarkable. I think she was a big catalyst for us, she makes us play at the pace we want, she's finding the open man. Defensively she's just miserable to try to play against, I can't imagine it. [It] doesn't matter whether we're up 50 or down 50, she's going to play as hard as she can and that sets the tone for everybody defensively."
#24 Kennady McQueen, Guard
On shooting opportunities in tonight's game…
"I think sticking with the process, and going through shooting slumps happens to every shooter. Everyone is going to go through [it], just remembering the time you put in and staying consistent, keep showing up. So, yeah it was good, but my teammates always do a great job at continuing to trust me and finding the open man. Tonight, I was lucky that was me, so that was fun."
#35 Alissa Pili, Forward
On what the team should focus on before the next game…
"I think continuing to focus on defense. Block down defenders, I know Coach said somethings we are focused on defensively, like transitions and just our rotations and things like that. I think this is a great offensive team, we know what we're going to get on offense. As long as we're moving the ball and playing with each other, offense is going to come but I think it's that defense we need to key in on."
NOTABLES
Utah's 64 point margin of victory is the largest of this season. Utah has hit 90 or more points in 5-of-6 games this season and is 5-0 in those games.
The Utes are now 5-1 overall on the season and 3-0 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah is on a 19 consecutive game win streak when playing at home.
McQueen's six made three pointers ties her career-high for most threes in a game. She is now just three made three pointers away from breaking into Utah's top 10 career three point field goals list.
Utah knocked down 17 made three-pointers, this is the fourth game this season Utah has hit 13 or more threes and the third time Utah has had 17 or more. Utah also had nine different players hit at least one three.
UP NEXT
Utah will stay home to the Jon M. Huntsman Center to host Carroll College Nov. 28 at 11:00 a.m. Utah will then host in-state rival BYU Dec. 2 at 7:00 p.m. Pac-12 action is set to start Dec. 30 at Colorado.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
Utah started the game firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. Gianna Kneepkens knocked down a three just 30 seconds after tip off. Alissa Pili, Jenna Johnson and Inês Vieira all knocked down shots from beyond the arc over the next three minutes. Vieira made a layup, off a steal, on the fast break, to give Utah an 8-0 run. Kennady McQueen then took her turn draining a three ball with 5:01 on the clock. Utah had five made threes, from five different Utes all in the first five minutes of play.
Utah continued the hot streak ending the first quarter on a 21-2 run. The Utes held the Warriors to just three field goals in the first quarter and forced the Warriors into an 8:30 scoring drought.
Back-to-back made layups by Pili sparked a 20-3 run for Utah in the second quarter. Utah's defense powered up forcing 10 turnovers in the second quarter and held Merrimack to just eight points. Going into halftime Utah had a 55-15 lead over Merrimack.
Utah intensified its momentum defensively in the third quarter. The Utes held Merrimack to just three points with one made field goal and one made free throw. Utah forced six more turnovers from five steals. Going into the fourth quarter Utah had a 79-18 lead.
The Utes powered through to claim a 64-point win with a 98-34 final score.
LEADERSShe's just too good, honestly. @alissa_pili #GoUtes
— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) November 25, 2023
?? https://t.co/hZnfQn5RIc pic.twitter.com/AQcmLY9gKE
Utah had four players score in double figures and were led by Pili's 22 points. She went 8-11 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line. McQueen knocked down a season-high 18 points, including six made three pointers. Maty Wilke also recorded a season high with her 11 points.
Freshman Reese Ross recorded her second career double-double with 10 points and the game high of 11 rebounds.Step back, three, ??BANG ??@MatyWilke #GoUtes
— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) November 25, 2023
?? https://t.co/hZnfQn5RIc pic.twitter.com/YXrH2aX8aN
Ines Vieira put up another impressive stat line with her eight points, including two from beyond the arc, 11 assists and five steals.
COMPARISON
Utah ended the game shooting 48 percent from the field, 37 percent from beyond the arc, and 71 percent from the free throw line. Utah pulled down 50 total rebounds including 17 offensive boards. The Utes had 28 assists, 15 steals and 12 turnovers.
Merrimack shot 27 percent from the field, 20 percent from the three and 50 percent from the free throw line. The Warriors ended the game with 28 rebounds, eight assists, six steals and 25 turnovers.
WHAT LYNNE ROBERTS SAID
Opening Statement
"Good win for us. I thought our defense was much, much better, which has been a point of emphasis. I saw the effort was there. In that first quarter we had seven different players hit a three [pointer]. That's pretty impressive. We had a lot of three's, and we didn't shoot a tremendous percentage, 38 percent is still good, but it's not the best we can do. I thought we passed the ball well, 28 assists on 33 baskets. We continued to move the ball and be unselfish. Great win, and I'm proud of our team."
On Inês Vieira…
"I think something we haven't talked about is Inês. She had 11 assists, no turnovers, and five steals. She's playing just an incredible clip right now. [She's] shooting the ball well, the game has slowed down for her, she is playing so well in the absence of Izzy [Isabel Palmer] right now and we're going to need that. Up in Alaska, too, was remarkable. I think she was a big catalyst for us, she makes us play at the pace we want, she's finding the open man. Defensively she's just miserable to try to play against, I can't imagine it. [It] doesn't matter whether we're up 50 or down 50, she's going to play as hard as she can and that sets the tone for everybody defensively."
#24 Kennady McQueen, Guard
On shooting opportunities in tonight's game…
"I think sticking with the process, and going through shooting slumps happens to every shooter. Everyone is going to go through [it], just remembering the time you put in and staying consistent, keep showing up. So, yeah it was good, but my teammates always do a great job at continuing to trust me and finding the open man. Tonight, I was lucky that was me, so that was fun."
#35 Alissa Pili, Forward
On what the team should focus on before the next game…
"I think continuing to focus on defense. Block down defenders, I know Coach said somethings we are focused on defensively, like transitions and just our rotations and things like that. I think this is a great offensive team, we know what we're going to get on offense. As long as we're moving the ball and playing with each other, offense is going to come but I think it's that defense we need to key in on."
NOTABLES
Utah's 64 point margin of victory is the largest of this season. Utah has hit 90 or more points in 5-of-6 games this season and is 5-0 in those games.
The Utes are now 5-1 overall on the season and 3-0 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah is on a 19 consecutive game win streak when playing at home.
McQueen's six made three pointers ties her career-high for most threes in a game. She is now just three made three pointers away from breaking into Utah's top 10 career three point field goals list.
Utah knocked down 17 made three-pointers, this is the fourth game this season Utah has hit 13 or more threes and the third time Utah has had 17 or more. Utah also had nine different players hit at least one three.
Utah had 28 assists on 33 made field goals for an 84.4 assist/field goal percentage. Utah has had 25 or more assists in five different games this season.Wow. @giannakneepkens Just wow.
— Utah Women's Basketball (@UTAHWBB) November 25, 2023
AND THE FINISH @KennadyMcqueen #GoUtes
?? https://t.co/hZnfQn5RIc pic.twitter.com/4tgddDeCx6
UP NEXT
Utah will stay home to the Jon M. Huntsman Center to host Carroll College Nov. 28 at 11:00 a.m. Utah will then host in-state rival BYU Dec. 2 at 7:00 p.m. Pac-12 action is set to start Dec. 30 at Colorado.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
Team Stats
Merri
Utah
FG%
.275
.485
3FG%
.200
.378
FT%
.500
.714
RB
28
50
TO
25
12
STL
6
15
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
6
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballFan Fest 2025 Coaches and Players Interviews: Women's Basketball
Sunday, August 17
Utah Women's Basketball: 76 - BYU: 73 | Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, March 01
Utah vs BYU - The Rivalry Continues
Saturday, March 01
Utah Women's Basketball: 46 - West Virginia: 75 | Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, February 27