Utah Utes girls’s basketball coach Lynne Roberts high-fives workforce members and employees after the Utes beat the Oregon Geese within the semifinal spherical of the 2022 Pac-12 girls’s basketball event on the Michelob ULTRA Area in Las Vegas on Friday, March 4, 2022. Utah received 80-73. Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
LAS VEGAS — Utah’s girls’s basketball workforce wasn’t simply content material with making it to the Pac-12 event semifinals for the primary time in program historical past, apparently.
Friday night time, they'd greater Geese to fry. And now the Utes are within the Pac-12 championship recreation for the primary time since becoming a member of the league in 2011.
Pac-12 Freshman of the Yr Gianna Kneepkens celebrated her nineteenth birthday by scoring a game-high 24 factors and Utah continued its magical run at Mandalay Occasions Heart in Las Vegas, upsetting No. 2 seed and Twenty fifth-ranked Oregon 80-73 in a semifinal recreation.
“That’s the most effective birthday current I’ve had in all my years,” Kneepkens mentioned.
Sixth-seeded Utah (20-10) meets top-seeded Stanford on Sunday at 4 p.m. MST for the championship and the league’s automated berth within the NCAA Match. The Cardinal, defending nationwide champions, routed Colorado 71-45 within the first semifinal Friday.
“Extremely happy with my workforce,” mentioned coach Lynne Roberts, who broke a heel celebrating the win and needed to borrow a jacket for the post-game information convention as a result of she was soaking moist.
“Apologize for the moist canine look.”
No matter what occurs Sunday, Utah is a lock for the Massive Dance, however the large win might get them out of the 8-9 seeding vary, a giant deal because the first rounds of the event are held at high 4 seeds. It's the type of win that may rework a program.
“When it comes to NCAA seeding, this may assist,” Roberts acknowledged.
“They obtained a pleasant workforce. They earned this recreation. I'm comfortable for Utah. They earned this win. We didn't,” mentioned Oregon coach Kelly Graves, who was concerned in probably the most controversial second of the sport, choosing up a technical foul after his workforce took a 66-65 lead with just below 4 minutes remaining.
Having given up the 10-point lead they began the fourth quarter with, the Utes caught a giant break when sophomore guard Kennady McQueen was fouled by Nyara Sabally whereas making an attempt a 3-pointer. Not solely did that ship one of many Geese’ greatest gamers to the bench with 5 fouls, it drew a technical foul on Graves, a Utah native.
McQueen made 4 of 5 free throws ensuing from the scenario to present Utah a 69-66 lead, and Oregon obtained no nearer.
“Clearly misplaced my cool late,” Graves mentioned, noting that he couldn’t remark additional “as a result of some individuals are protected.”
Requested what he mentioned to attract the game-turning technical, Graves replied: “Didn’t say a factor. … There you go. That will get you a technical foul as of late. … I let my feelings get to me.”
Later, Graves referred to a “gesture” he made that apparently was the explanation for the T.
Utah made only one discipline purpose within the closing six minutes, nevertheless it was an enormous one. Kneepkens obtained free for a layup with 2:44 left to present Utah a 72-66 lead. Oregon obtained no nearer than six after that.
“I've the utmost confidence in her — she’s fearless,” Roberts mentioned of Kneepkens, who was 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Don’t blame the Geese (20-11) in the event that they don’t wish to see a Utah workforce in Las Vegas for an additional decade or so, after the Utes’ soccer workforce routed Oregon final 12 months within the Pac-12 soccer championship recreation.
Friday’s recreation began as if Oregon would return the favor.
Kneepkens scored the sport’s first 5 factors and the Utes obtained off to an honest begin, taking a 7-2 lead. Oregon answered with a 14-0 run to take a 25-14 lead on the finish of the primary quarter. For a number of temporary moments, it appeared the large stage was an excessive amount of for the younger Utes.
Guess once more.
“Believing in one another actually helps so much,” Kneepkens mentioned.
Trailing 37-32 at halftime, the Utes performed a few of their greatest basketball of the season to open the third quarter, particularly on the defensive finish.
Kneepkens made two 3-pointers within the quarter, whereas Johnson and McQueen had one apiece. The Utes went on a 16-1 run, due to stifling protection.
Oregon made only one discipline purpose within the third quarter, and completed the quarter lacking its final 10 photographs.
“I believe we misplaced a little bit little bit of our depth in that third quarter,” Graves mentioned.
Utah’s unsung hero was Australian Kelsey Rees, who had 14 factors and eight rebounds whereas battling Oregon’s superior peak your entire night time.
She obtained the additional minutes as a result of beginning publish participant Peyton McFarland didn’t play.
McFarland sustained a knee harm within the quarterfinal win over Washington State and was on crutches Friday night time. Roberts mentioned the Boise, Idaho, product received’t play Sunday and can get imaging on her knee when the workforce returns to Salt Lake Metropolis subsequent week.
Truly, it might be arduous to discover a Ute who didn’t play effectively. Jenna Johnson chipped in 13 factors and 4 rebounds earlier than fouling out, whereas level guard Dru Gylten directed the offense and didn’t commit a turnover in half-hour. She tweaked an ankle late within the recreation, however returned.
McQueen not solely hit the large free throws — staying on the stripe after making the three free throws from the 3-pointer foul — but in addition put the defensive clamps on Oregon guards Te-Hina Paopao, Sydney Parrish and Endyia Rogers, who mixed to go 15 of 43.
“They by no means misplaced religion in me,” McQueen mentioned of her teammates after a 3 of 10 taking pictures night time.
Brynna Maxwell additionally nailed an enormous 3-pointer within the third quarter when the Utes primarily received the sport.
“We’ve been on them about what it takes to win in March,” Roberts mentioned.
On an unforgettable Friday night time in Las Vegas, they confirmed their coaches they had been listening.