Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Western Colorado (EXHIBITION) on October 27, 2025 at TBD
TBD
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
Saturday, December 21
Salt Lake City, Utah
4:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Arizona State
Utah Starts Big 12 With Arizona State Saturday
12/19/2024 4:51 PM | Women's Basketball
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Utes women's basketball team will start the 2024-25 Big 12 season by hosting Arizona State in the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m.
The Utes are currently 9-2 on the season after defeating Washington 67-57 on Dec. 14. Utah is currently on a four-game win streak.
GAME INFORMATION
Utah (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (5-6, 0-0 Big 12)
DATE | TIME: Saturday, Dec. 21 | 4:00 p.m. (MT)
LOCATION: Salt Lake City | Jon M. Huntsman Center
TV: ESPN+ | Watch
LISTEN: Click Here
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UtahWBB
HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans can watch the match up on ESPN+ with Krista Blunk and Angela Taylor on the call. The radio call will be on 92.1 FM and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah picked up a 67-57 win over Washington in the final non-conference game of the season. Utah trailed by 10 points going into the fourth quarter and then outscored the Huskies 27-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. Gianna Kneepkens logged her second 20-point game of the season with her 24 against Washington. Of her 24 points, 14 came in the fourth quarter thanks to two made from three and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
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.
KNOWING KNEEPKENS
Kneepkens is currently averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from the three and 91.8 from the free throw line going 45-of-49. She is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game. She leads the Utes from beyond the arc knocking down 32 total so far on the year.
Kneepkens has scored a season-high 24 points twice this season. First she hit 24 points in just 21 minutes of game play against McNeese (11/18/24). Second, she hit 24 against Washington (12/14/24) with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.
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.
Kneepkens has knocked down three or more three-pointers in all but five games this season with a season-high of four made three times with the last time coming against Washington (12/14/24). 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).
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.
IN THE RANKS
Utah received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for the third consecutive week in a row and fourth week this season. During the 2023-24 season the Utes' were ranked in the Top 25 for 20 consecutive weeks.
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.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
The Arizona State Sun Devils are currently 5-6 on the season. ASU is coming off a 67-64 loss to San Francisco.
Arizona State has two people averaging double figures and are led by Tyi Skinner who averages 17.9 points per game shooting for 39.9 percent from the field.
This will be the 34th time the two programs have matched up. The last time the two teams met was last season. Utah defeated Arizona State in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament with a 71-60 score.
Utah has an 18-15 record with ASU and are 7-6 when playing in Salt Lake City.
Arizona State is led by head coach Natasha Adair who is in her third season. She has a 23-46 record at the helm of the Sun Devils.
NEW THIS WEEK
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock exclusive video content, news and information, schedules, rosters, stats, and access to buy and manage tickets. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along during the 2024-25 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
The Utes are currently 9-2 on the season after defeating Washington 67-57 on Dec. 14. Utah is currently on a four-game win streak.
GAME INFORMATION
Utah (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (5-6, 0-0 Big 12)
DATE | TIME: Saturday, Dec. 21 | 4:00 p.m. (MT)
LOCATION: Salt Lake City | Jon M. Huntsman Center
TV: ESPN+ | Watch
LISTEN: Click Here
LIVE STATS: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UtahWBB
HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans can watch the match up on ESPN+ with Krista Blunk and Angela Taylor on the call. The radio call will be on 92.1 FM and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah picked up a 67-57 win over Washington in the final non-conference game of the season. Utah trailed by 10 points going into the fourth quarter and then outscored the Huskies 27-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. Gianna Kneepkens logged her second 20-point game of the season with her 24 against Washington. Of her 24 points, 14 came in the fourth quarter thanks to two made from three and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
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.
KNOWING KNEEPKENS
Kneepkens is currently averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from the three and 91.8 from the free throw line going 45-of-49. She is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game. She leads the Utes from beyond the arc knocking down 32 total so far on the year.
Kneepkens has scored a season-high 24 points twice this season. First she hit 24 points in just 21 minutes of game play against McNeese (11/18/24). Second, she hit 24 against Washington (12/14/24) with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.
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.
Kneepkens has knocked down three or more three-pointers in all but five games this season with a season-high of four made three times with the last time coming against Washington (12/14/24). 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).
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.
IN THE RANKS
Utah received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for the third consecutive week in a row and fourth week this season. During the 2023-24 season the Utes' were ranked in the Top 25 for 20 consecutive weeks.
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.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
The Arizona State Sun Devils are currently 5-6 on the season. ASU is coming off a 67-64 loss to San Francisco.
Arizona State has two people averaging double figures and are led by Tyi Skinner who averages 17.9 points per game shooting for 39.9 percent from the field.
This will be the 34th time the two programs have matched up. The last time the two teams met was last season. Utah defeated Arizona State in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament with a 71-60 score.
Utah has an 18-15 record with ASU and are 7-6 when playing in Salt Lake City.
Arizona State is led by head coach Natasha Adair who is in her third season. She has a 23-46 record at the helm of the Sun Devils.
NEW THIS WEEK
- Utah has received votes for the AP Top 25 Poll for the third week in a row.
- In Utah's 67-57 win over Washington, the Utes trailed by 10 points going into the fourth quarter. The Utes outscored the Huskies 27-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.
- Utah is one of six teams in the NCAA to overcome a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out a victory this season.
- Gianna Kneepkens logged her second 20-point game of the season with her 24 against Washington. Of her 24 points, 14 came in the fourth quarter thanks to two made from three and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
- Utah welcomed Ryan Larsen as a new assistant coach on Friday, Dec. 6.
- Utah's 78-67 win over No. 3 Notre Dame marks the highest ranked win while traveling in school history. Previously, the record for the highest ranked neutral site game was during the 2002-03 season when Utah defeated No. 14 Mississippi State 69-65. The previous record for highest ranked win outside of Salt Lake City was last season when Utah defeated No. 6 USC with a 74-68 score in Los Angeles (2/25/24).
- This is back-to-back seasons the Utes have taken down top-10 teams away from the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
- Gavin Petersen became the fastest head coach in school history to get a win over a top-10 team. Accomplishing the feat in just four games when Utah downed No. 3 Notre Dame 78-67 (11/30/24).
- Utah's 105 points against SUU (11/4/24), marked the first time in school history the Utes scored 100 or more points in the season opener in back-to-back seasons.
- 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
- Gianna Kneepkens has left no doubts with her comeback as she leads the team averaging 17.5 points per game shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 42.+7 percent from the three. She also leads the team in made three pointers with 32 and free throws with 45.
- At the helm for the Utes is Gavin Petersen who is in his first season as head coach and 10th overall season at Utah. He was named head coach Nov. 19, 2024 just four games into the season.
- 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.
- Gianna Kneepkens hit a season-high scoring with 24 points twice this season. First she hit 24 points in just 21 minutes of game play against McNeese (11/18/24). Second, she hit 24 against Washington (12/14/24) with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.
- Utah is currently in the top 30 nationally in eight major statistical categories:
- No. 11 assists per game (19.2)
- No. 26 field goal percentage (47.8)
- No. 20 free throw percentage (78.1)
- No. 26 scoring (81.4)
- No. 31 scoring margin (22.9)
- No. 6 made three pointers per game (10.5)
- No. 16 three point attempts per game (27.9)
- No. 21 three point percentage (37.8)
- Inês Vieira is currently No. 15 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big 12 in total assists with 63. She is also No. 19 nationally, No. 5 in the Big 12 in assists per game (5.7).
- Gianna Kneepkens is currently No. 19 in the nation, No. 4 in the Big 12 in three pointers made with 32 and No. 20 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big 12 in three pointers per game (2.91).
- Kneepkens is currently No. 12 in the nation and leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage with 91.8.
OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF UTAH ATHLETICS – UTAH 360
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock exclusive video content, news and information, schedules, rosters, stats, and access to buy and manage tickets. The app is available in both the Apple Store (download) and Google Play (download). Add it today, access your game tickets and download them to your smartphone's wallet to make yourself game-day ready.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along during the 2024-25 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
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