SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Utes women's basketball team will continue the 2024-25 season by returning to the Jon M. Huntsman Center to host the Montana State Bobcats. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. (MT). This will be the 12th matchup between the Utes and the Bobcats.Â
The Utes are currently 4-1 on the season after picking up a 72-71 overtime win over Saint Joseph's in head coach Gavin Petersen's debut at the helm of the Utes.Â
GAME INFORMATION
Utah (4-1, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Montana State (4-0, 0-0 Big Sky)
DATE | TIME: Sunday, Nov. 24 | 7 p.m. (MT)
LOCATION:Â Salt Lake City | Jon M. Huntsman Center
TV: ESPN+ | WatchÂ
LISTEN: Click Here
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UtahWBBÂ
HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans can watch the match up on ESPN+ or by clicking here. Tony Parks will be handling the play-by-play for ESPN+ with Angela Taylor as analyst. The radio call will be on ESPN 700 and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.Â
LAST TIME OUT
Utah picked up a thrilling 72-71 overtime win over Saint Joseph's on Friday, Nov. 24. There were three Utes that scored in double figures and were led by Gianna Kneepkens' and Kennady McQueen's 14 points each. Mayé Touré hit the game winner with five seconds on the clock. She also surpassed 1,000 career points with her 12 on the night. Reese Ross led the Utes with 10 rebounds.Â
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THE UTES
Utah returns four starters from last year's squad including 2022-23 All-American
Gianna Kneepkens. Kneepkens returns after suffering a season ending injury early in the 2023-24 season. Utah also brought back starters
Jenna Johnson,
Kennady McQueen and
Inês Vieira. Other key players returning are
Matyson Wilke,
Samantha Crispe and
Reese Ross. The Utes welcome two transfers in
Chyra Evans and
Mayé Touré and three true freshmen in
Grace Foster,
Kylie Ray and
Brooke Walker.Â
KNOWING KNEEPKENS
Kneepkens is currently averaging 17.0Â points per game and shooting 50.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from the three and 94.7 from the free throw line going 18-of-19. She is averaging 3.4 rebounds per game. She leads the Utes from beyond the arc knocking down 15 total so far on the year.Â
Prior to her injury in 2023-24, Kneepkens played just eight games and was averaging 17.8 points per game while shooting 63.3 percent from the field and 54.0 percent from beyond the arc. She averaged 5.5 rebounds and four assists per game.Â
Kneepkens has knocked down three or more three-pointers in all but one game this season with a season-high of four made two times with the last time coming against McNeese (11/18/24). She is a 1,000 point scorer as she broke the 1,000-point milestone last season when she put up 19 against Carroll College (Nov. 28, 2023).Â
She averages 14.2 points per game throughout her career and has career shooting averages of 49.1 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from the three and 85.0 percent from the line. She has 169 total made three pointers and sits at No. 9 in Utah's all-time threes made list.Â
She was named to both the Naismith Player of the Year and Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watchlists. Kneepkens was also placed on the Big 12 Preseason All-Conference team.Â
IN THE RANKS
Utah received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll after the first week of the season on Nov. 11. . During the 2023-24 season the Utes' were ranked in the Top 25 for 20 consecutive weeks.Â
HEAD COACH GAVIN PETERSEN
Petersen was named the head coach of the Utah women's basketball team on Nov. 19, 2024 just four games into the 2024-25 season. He brings 23 seasons of college coaching experience to the role, he is in his 10th season overall with the Utes and spent the previous five years as associate head coach under Lynne Roberts.
Petersen has been a part of the staff that has led the Utes to six postseason appearances—including three NCAA tournaments and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen—and four 20-win seasons, as well as regular appearances in the AP Top 25.
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SCOUTING MONTANA STATE
The Montana State Bobcats are currently 4-0 on the season. The 'Cats are coming off a 77-59 win over UC Davis and are on a four-game winning streak.Â
MSU has three Bobcats averaging double figures and are led by Esmeralda Morales who averages 17.3 points per game shooting for 49.0 percent from the field.Â
This is the 12th time the two programs have matched up with the previous matchup coming In December of 2020 where the Utes picked up a 73-63 win over the Bobcats (12/11/20). Utah has an 11-0 record with Montana State and are 8-0 in Salt Lake City.Â
Montana State is led by head coach Tricia Binford who is in her 20th season. She has a 333-249 record at the helm of the Bobcats.Â
QUICK NOTES
- Gavin Petersen was named the sixth head coach for Utah Women's Basketball after former head coach Lynne Roberts was named as the new head coach of the L.A. Sparks in the WNBA.Â
- Petersen has a 1-0 record after the Utes downed the Saint Joseph's Hawks in overtime with a 72-71 score (11/22/24).Â
- Â Gianna Kneepkens hit a season-high 24 points in just 21 minutes of game play against McNeese (11/18/24).Â
- Mayé Touré hit the first three pointer of the game against Saint Joseph's (11/22/24) to push her past the 1,000 career-point milestone.Â
- Jenna Johnson is just three rebounds shy of 500 career rebounds.
- Inês Vieria is just three assists shy of 400 career assists.
- Utah's 118 points against McNeese (11/18/24) marks the second highest points scored in a game in Utah program history. The record stands at 124 which has occurred twice, with the most recent time coming in 2022-23 against Oklahoma State.Â
SEASON NEED TO KNOWÂ
- Gianna Kneepkens was named to the Naismith Trophy Preseason Watchlist and the Cheryl Miller Award Preseason WatchlistÂ
- Inês Vieria was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Preseason Watchlist
- Jenna Johnson was named to the Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watchlist
- Gianna Kneepkens was named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team
- Utah's 105 points against SUU (11/4/24), was the first time in school history the Utes scored 100 or more points in the season opener in back-to-back seasonsÂ
- Gianna Kneepkens made her return with a splash against SUU (11/4/24), as she led the Utes with 18 points going 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from the three. She also had four rebounds and four assists.Â
- At the helm for the Utes is Gavin Petersen who is in his first season as head coach and 10th overall season at Utah.Â
- Utah is returning four of last year's starting five including, All-American Gianna Kneepkens, as well as, Jenna Johnson, Kennady McQueen and Inês Vieira
- Utah welcomes two transfers (Chyra Evans and Mayè Tourè) and three true freshman (Brooke Walker, Grace Foster and Kylie Ray) to this year's squad.
- Â Utah is currently in the top 25 nationally in six major statistical categories:
- No. 7 in assists per game (21.6)
- No. 21 in assist/turnover ratio (1.38)
- No. 18 field goal percentage (49.2)
- No. 19 scoring margin (32.0)
- No. 11 scoring (90.0)
- No. 5Â made three pointers per game (12.4)
- No. 16 in three point attempts per game (29.0)
- Inês Vieira is currently No. 16 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big 12 in total assists with 31. She is also No. 18 nationally, No. 3 in the Big 12 in assists per game (6.2).
- Gianna Kneepkens is currently No. 18 in the nation in free throw percentage sitting at 94.7. Â
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