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The College of Utah ladies’s basketball crew has constructed its success this season on 3-point taking pictures.
The Utes broke the college file for many 3-pointers in a season Saturday afternoon, however confirmed they nonetheless have to work on consistency in a 73-65 loss to Oregon in a Pac-12 convention recreation on the Jon M. Huntsman Middle.
Freshman Jenna Johnson scored 27 factors and led a second-half comeback that helped the Utes reduce a 16-point Oregon result in only one at 54-53, however Oregon’s Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish responded with a pair of 3-pointers over the following couple of minutes that allowed the Twenty fifth-ranked Geese to safe second place in subsequent week’s league match in Las Vegas.
“This was an important second half for us after an abysmal begin,” Utah coach Lynne Roberts stated. “The best way we got here out at halftime was nice, and so they simply performed with lots of struggle, and we reduce it to 1, after which we turned it over too many occasions.
“We labored so onerous on protection and got here up with massive stops, however Oregon is a superb crew with some WNBA draft picks, seniors and so they’re robust. I’m happy with our crew with our comeback, however this isn't a foul loss.”
After the media predicted the Utes to complete 10th within the league standings, Roberts’ crew ended the common season with a 17-10 file and 8-7 in league play.
They completed tied for fifth place, however earned the sixth seed within the postseason match and can open in opposition to 11th-seeded Cal, which they defeated 80-75 in extra time of their solely matchup this season.
A win there at 8:30 p.m. subsequent Wednesday will put the Utes in opposition to Washington State, the one college above them within the standings that they've defeated this season.
It additionally saved the Utes on the alternative bracket of third-ranked and top-seeded Stanford.
“We’re not achieved,” Roberts insisted.
Added Dru Gylten, who performed her final dwelling recreation and celebrated Senior Day with teammates Andrea Torres and Maka Jackson: “We wished to do one thing that we hadn’t achieved earlier than. (The sport) was emotional and we've got loads to stay up for. This crew is so wonderful.”
What has helped create the amazement is the crew’s 3-point taking pictures, however on Saturday, Utah missed its first 10 photographs from lengthy vary in opposition to the Geese and fell behind 16-3.
Even worse, main scorer Gianna Kneepkens injured her proper shoulder within the recreation’s opening minutes and was ineffective the remainder of the way in which.
The Utes trailed 38-22 at halftime, however Johnson responded with seven straight baskets and had 15 factors throughout Utah’s 29-16 third-quarter run that energized the group of two,200.
“Jenna was feeling it,” Roberts stated. “We tried to get the ball to her each time in that third quarter.”
Johnson added a layup to begin the fourth interval, however the Geese countered with extra urgency. Oregon’s entrance line featured 6-foot-8, 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-5 athletes and, when the Utes targeted on stopping them, that left Paopao open for the one 3-pointer she made all day.
After that it was Parrish’s flip, and he or she scored nearly all of her 18 factors, which ended Utah’s momentum rush and gave Oregon its 13th straight win on this one-sided sequence.
“We’re feeling loads reduction,” stated Parrish, whose crew had misplaced two in a row. “We knew (the sport) was necessary for each us and Utah.
“Seeing that ball go within the first couple of occasions boosted my confidence. It’s good to have that occur going into the match.”
Utah misplaced to Washington State within the first spherical of final yr’s league tourney to finish a 5-16 season. The Utes’ final go to to postseason play past convention tournaments was the WNIT 4 years in the past.
They haven't reached the NCAAs since 2011.