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)
Tuesday, February 18
Salt Lake City, Utah
7:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Oklahoma State
UP NEXT: Utah Hosts No. 24 Oklahoma State
2/17/2025 1:02 PM | Women's Basketball
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Utes women's basketball team carries a seven-game win streak and is set to host No. 24 Oklahoma State for the first time in the Jon M. Huntsman Center Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.
The Utes are currently 20-5 on the season and 11-3 in Big 12 play and currently sitting at No. 4 in the Big 12 standings after defeating Arizona State 98-62 on Feb. 15. Utah now has four consecutive 20-win seasons.
GAME INFORMATION
Utah (20-5, 11-3 Big 12) vs. No. 24 Oklahoma State (20-5, 10-4 Big 12)
DATE | TIME: Tuesday, Feb. 18 | 7:00 p.m.
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 matchup on ESPN+ with Krista Blunk and Angela Taylor on the call. The radio call will be on ESPN700 and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah women's basketball team picked up their seventh consecutive win thanks to a hot performance from beyond the arc in Utah's 98-62 win over Arizona State. The Utes knocked down 18 made three pointers for a new season high and broke Arizona State's record for most threes scored by an opponent. The Utes' 18 threes tied for sixth in Big 12 history for most threes made in a game. Utah was led by Gianna Kneepkens' double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds. Kennady McQueen was a firecracker for Utah with season-high 20 points including six made from three to tie her career high.
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.
50/40/90
Utah has not one but TWO elite level shooters in Gianna Kneepkens and Kennady McQueen. Kneepkens and McQueen are the only two players in the country currently averaging 50/40/90 while averaging at least 10 points per game and have played over 150 minutes.
KNOWING KNEEPKENS
Kneepkens is currently averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 52.2% from the field, 47.2% from the three and 91.8% from the free throw line going 101-of-110. She is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. She leads the Utes from beyond the arc knocking down 77 total so far on the year. Kneepkens sits in the Top 10 in the nation in all three, three point statistical categories. She's No. 3 three point percentage (47.2), No. 8 total three pointers (77) and No. 8 three pointers per game (3.08).
Kneepkens was named Big 12 Player of the Week (1/27/25) after posting back-to-back 30 point games including a career-high 32 points against BYU (1/25). Over the two games, she averaged 31 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals per game. She shot 58.8% from the field, 66.7% from the three and 83.3% from the line. Kneepkens' 31.0 points per game led league players during the week and ranked fourth in the country.
Kneepkens has recorded three 30 point games. Most recently she tied her career-high 32 points and six made threes against UCF (2/8/25). Before that she hit back-to-back 30 point games and established a career-high 32 points against BYU (1/25/25) that included a career-high 10 made three pointers and tied a career-high six made three pointers.
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.
Utah is 13-1 when Kneepkens hits three or more three pointers in a game this season. 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 the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team as well as the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Midseason Watchlist. She was named a Cheryl Miller Award Top 10 candidate. In the preseason, she was a 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
The Utes received votes in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. Utah was ranked as high as #22 this season (Jan. 6) and received votes for five consecutive weeks prior to cracking the Top 25 the week of Jan. 6.
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 OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowgirls are currently 20-5 on the season and 10-4 in Big 12 play, one spot behind the fourth-place Utes. In Oklahoma State's latest game, they were defeated by BYU in Provo, 68-64. Oklahoma State led heading into the fourth quarter but was outscored 21-13 in the final ten minutes.
This is the first meeting between the two programs and their lone matchup of the season.
Sophomore guard Stailee Heard leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.3 ppg and 8.0 rpg. Both marks stand out in the conference, sitting 11th in points per game and 4th in rebounding.
The Cowgirls lead the conference in one category, 3pt defense percentage (27.0%). The Utes have recorded ten games of hitting double-digit 3pt field goals including coming off 18 at Arizona State on Saturday. Oklahoma State has only allowed double-digit 3pt field goals once this season (Fairfield, 11/16/24).
OSU has two of the Big 12's three games with the most points scored, dropping 125 on Alabama State on 12/6 and scoring 113 against Chicago State on 11/25. The second-most points scored in a single-game this season in the conference was by Utah versus McNeese on 11/18.
Oklahoma State is led by head coach Jacie Hoyt who is in her 3rd season in Stillwater. She has a 55-33 record at the helm of the Cowgirls.
NEW THIS WEEK
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience, from managing tickets to mobile concessions ordering, as well as video content, news and information, schedules, rosters and stats. 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 20-5 on the season and 11-3 in Big 12 play and currently sitting at No. 4 in the Big 12 standings after defeating Arizona State 98-62 on Feb. 15. Utah now has four consecutive 20-win seasons.
GAME INFORMATION
Utah (20-5, 11-3 Big 12) vs. No. 24 Oklahoma State (20-5, 10-4 Big 12)
DATE | TIME: Tuesday, Feb. 18 | 7:00 p.m.
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 matchup on ESPN+ with Krista Blunk and Angela Taylor on the call. The radio call will be on ESPN700 and can be found on the TuneIn app, with Tyson Ewing and Milee Rustand calling the action.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah women's basketball team picked up their seventh consecutive win thanks to a hot performance from beyond the arc in Utah's 98-62 win over Arizona State. The Utes knocked down 18 made three pointers for a new season high and broke Arizona State's record for most threes scored by an opponent. The Utes' 18 threes tied for sixth in Big 12 history for most threes made in a game. Utah was led by Gianna Kneepkens' double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds. Kennady McQueen was a firecracker for Utah with season-high 20 points including six made from three to tie her career high.
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.
50/40/90
Utah has not one but TWO elite level shooters in Gianna Kneepkens and Kennady McQueen. Kneepkens and McQueen are the only two players in the country currently averaging 50/40/90 while averaging at least 10 points per game and have played over 150 minutes.
- Gianna Kneepkens is averaging 19.3 points per game and has logged 739 minutes of play. She's shooting 52.2% from the field (152-291), 47.2% from three (77-163) and 91.8% from the free throw line (101-110).
- Kennady McQueen is averaging 11.2 points per game and has logged 547 minutes of play. She's shooting 51.3% from the field (81-158), 44.4% from the three (48-108) and 93.3% from the line (14-15).
KNOWING KNEEPKENS
Kneepkens is currently averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 52.2% from the field, 47.2% from the three and 91.8% from the free throw line going 101-of-110. She is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. She leads the Utes from beyond the arc knocking down 77 total so far on the year. Kneepkens sits in the Top 10 in the nation in all three, three point statistical categories. She's No. 3 three point percentage (47.2), No. 8 total three pointers (77) and No. 8 three pointers per game (3.08).
Kneepkens was named Big 12 Player of the Week (1/27/25) after posting back-to-back 30 point games including a career-high 32 points against BYU (1/25). Over the two games, she averaged 31 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals per game. She shot 58.8% from the field, 66.7% from the three and 83.3% from the line. Kneepkens' 31.0 points per game led league players during the week and ranked fourth in the country.
Kneepkens has recorded three 30 point games. Most recently she tied her career-high 32 points and six made threes against UCF (2/8/25). Before that she hit back-to-back 30 point games and established a career-high 32 points against BYU (1/25/25) that included a career-high 10 made three pointers and tied a career-high six made three pointers.
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.
Utah is 13-1 when Kneepkens hits three or more three pointers in a game this season. 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 the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team as well as the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Midseason Watchlist. She was named a Cheryl Miller Award Top 10 candidate. In the preseason, she was a 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
The Utes received votes in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. Utah was ranked as high as #22 this season (Jan. 6) and received votes for five consecutive weeks prior to cracking the Top 25 the week of Jan. 6.
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 OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowgirls are currently 20-5 on the season and 10-4 in Big 12 play, one spot behind the fourth-place Utes. In Oklahoma State's latest game, they were defeated by BYU in Provo, 68-64. Oklahoma State led heading into the fourth quarter but was outscored 21-13 in the final ten minutes.
This is the first meeting between the two programs and their lone matchup of the season.
Sophomore guard Stailee Heard leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.3 ppg and 8.0 rpg. Both marks stand out in the conference, sitting 11th in points per game and 4th in rebounding.
The Cowgirls lead the conference in one category, 3pt defense percentage (27.0%). The Utes have recorded ten games of hitting double-digit 3pt field goals including coming off 18 at Arizona State on Saturday. Oklahoma State has only allowed double-digit 3pt field goals once this season (Fairfield, 11/16/24).
OSU has two of the Big 12's three games with the most points scored, dropping 125 on Alabama State on 12/6 and scoring 113 against Chicago State on 11/25. The second-most points scored in a single-game this season in the conference was by Utah versus McNeese on 11/18.
Oklahoma State is led by head coach Jacie Hoyt who is in her 3rd season in Stillwater. She has a 55-33 record at the helm of the Cowgirls.
NEW THIS WEEK
- Utah continued receiving votes in the latest poll that dropped Feb. 17.
- Kneepkens sits in the Top 10 in the nation in all three three point statistical categories.
- No. 3 three point percentage (47.2)
- No. 8 total three pointers (77)
- No. 8 three pointers per game (3.08)
- The Utes are 13-1 in games when Gianna Kneepkens hits three or more three pointers in a game.
- Gianna Kneepkens and Kennady McQueen are the only two players in the NCAA to sit at 50/40/90 while scoring over 200 points and have played over 150 minutes this season.
- Utah is currently on a seven game win streak.
- 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.
- 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. At the time, Utah was one of six teams to overcome a double digit deficit for a victory.
- Gianna Kneepkens has left no doubts with her comeback as she leads the team averaging 19.3 points per game shooting 52.2% from the field, 47.3% from the three and 91.8% from the free throw line. She also leads the team in made three pointers with 77 and free throws with 101.
- 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 currently in the top 30 nationally in eight major statistical categories:
- No. 10 assists per game (18.9)
- No. 11 field goal percentage (47.7)
- No. 32 rebound margin (6.8)
- No. 30 scoring margin (16.9)
- No. 26 scoring offense (78.3)
- No. 18 three point attempts per game (26.4)
- No. 6 three pointers per game (10.2)
- No. 4 three point percentage (38.2)
- Gianna Kneepkens is currently No. 10 in the nation and leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage with 91.8.
- Kneepkens recently jumped to No. 25 in the nation in scoring with 482 total points on the season and No. 31 in points per game with 19.3.
- She sits in the Top 10 in the nation in all three three point statistical categories.
- No. 3 three point percentage (47.2)
- No. 8 total three pointers (77)
- No. 8 three pointers per game (3.08)
The official mobile app of Utah Athletics is Utah 360. Download it today to unlock a refreshed game-day experience, from managing tickets to mobile concessions ordering, as well as video content, news and information, schedules, rosters and stats. 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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