Utah Women Win Thriller Against Arizona On Free-Throws
Jan 15, 2023, 2:15 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – After nearly a month away from the Huntsman Center, the No. 10 Utes returned home to take on the No. 14 Arizona Wildcats in an exciting Top 25 battle in women’s hoops.
Utah and Arizona spent much of the game going back and forth with both teams having their dominate moments in front of a rowdy crowd. However, Utah eventually brought the victory home after Alissa Pili went to the line with just seconds remaining in the game, 80-79.
What 👏🏽 A 👏🏽 WIN 👏🏽#GoUtes #UteProud #LightTheU pic.twitter.com/edNssEOY1o
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
First Half
The Utes got off to a slow start against the Arizona Wildcats Sunday afternoon at the Huntsman Center falling into a 7-0 hole early. However, Issy Palmer go Utah’s first points of the day to get things going, followed by Alissa Pili bullying her way to the basket to cut Arizona’s lead, 7-4.
Palmer gets Utah's first points of the game followed by Pili points. #Utes trial the Wildcats 7-4 early in the game.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
The Wildcats continued to lead much of the first quarter, but the Utes kept chipping away at it and eventually took their first lead of the day after Kennady McQueen sank a three-point shot followed by Pili putting points on the board.
McQueen gets a three and puts the #Utes within one of the Wildcats. Pili follows up with points giving Utah their first lead of the afternoon, 15-14.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Arizona wouldn’t go away that easily however, and the game would go back-and-forth for a bit. At one point the Utes built up a solid lead, but the Wildcats would manage to reel it back in, 34-31 in their favor.
After building a healthy lead after the first quarter break, the #Utes are trailing again at the media timeout, 34-31.
This has been a very physical game with blows traded back and forth.#GoUtes— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Pili continued to be a dominate force for Utah leading the team at halftime with 17 points, while teammate Jenna Johnson brought down the rebounds with four and assists with three. Utah went into the half with the narrow lead over Arizona after a hard-fought battle, 42-40.
.@UTAHWBB with the lead going into the half over Arizona, 42-40.
The #Utes have currently raised $1000 for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge as part of their Beyond The Paint community outreach. #GoUtes #UteProud pic.twitter.com/Qqx0DVEI3a
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Second Half
The battle raged on after halftime with Utah building a little bit of a lead only to have Arizona come back and close the gap. Kennady McQueen got the Huntsman crowd back into the game pretty quick with a big three-point shot that the Utes continued to build off off.
McQueen sets the Huntsman Center off with another three-point shot. #Utes have a two-point lead over the Wildcats, 49-47.#GoUtes #UteProud
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
The Utes continued to build a lead for much of the third quarter. Gianna Kneepkens put one off the glass in-between a series of Arizona fouls to put Utah in a good position, 53-47.
Kneepkens off the glass, #Utes have a bit of a lead built up and it seems like Arizona can't keep out of their own way with the fouls. Utah leads 53-47 with under three in the third quarter.#GoUtes #UteProud
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
However, Arizona persisted and Utah ended the third quarter with a couple of bad series that allowed the Wildcats to come within three before the buzzer.
Rough series for the #Utes to bring the third quarter to a close. Arizona quickly closed the gap of the lead Utah built to three, 56-53.
Fourth quarter coming up in a bit.#GoUtes #UteProud
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Arizona wasted no time coming out of the quarter break and sinking the three they needed to tie the game up at 56.
Arizona wasted no time tying the game up out of the quarter break, both teams have traded shots back and forth. With eight minutes left to play we currently sit tied at 58.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
The game continued to stay tied through most of the fourth quarter with both teams continuing to go back and forth. Palmer with 4:47 left tied the game up again while getting a chance at the free throw line but was injured in the process.
Palmer gets the shot off plus the foul. A little bit of a concerning moment when Palmer didn't immediately get up but she eventually got up on her own.
Game is tied up at the media break at 66 with 4:47 left to play. Palmer will take her foul shot after the break.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Kneepkens goes on a run to give Utah a little breathing room, but a trip to the line late with 1:47 left to play ties the game back up at 73.
*73-71 https://t.co/OnlE7QxZdu
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Kneepkens continued to fight and show guts late into the fourth quarter hitting one off the glass and going to the line for one free throw shot that gave the Utes a one-point lead with just 39 seconds left to play. She would later make another trip to the line with 22 seconds left and make both shots extending Utah’s lead, 78-75.
Kneepkens comes through again plus another trip to the line which she makes. #Utes with a one-point, 76-75 lead with just 39 seconds on the clock. What a game.#GoUtes
— Michelle Bodkin (@BodkinKSLsports) January 15, 2023
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports
