Four Utes Earn All-Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Honors
Mar 6, 2024, 9:40 AM
LAS VEGAS – Despite some ups and downs, Utah women’s basketball has been very good once again in the 2023-24 season with four Utes earning All-Pac-12 Honors.
Alissa Pili, Kennady McQueen, Jenna Johnson, and Ines Vieira all received postseason recognition from the Conference of Champions for their efforts through the regular season.
Make sure to catch those four along with the rest of the Utah women later on Wednesday, March 6 at 9:30 pm MT/8:30 pm PT as they take on ASU in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. The game will be live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and can be viewed on Pac-12 Networks.
Stage is set#goutes pic.twitter.com/1BfL1NllyE
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 6, 2024
Alissa Pili Earns All-Pac-12 Team Honors
Pili was the only Ute to make the All-Pac-12 Team and anyone who has been watching knows exactly why. The senior forward has been an absolute force for Utah since transferring from USC in 2022.
In the 2023-24 season, Pili has accounted for 630 total points which averages to 21 points per game (both stats are good for second in the Pac-12).
Pili set a new career high in points on December 1, 2023, against No. 1 South Carolina at 37. Pili matched that figure against her old squad, also USC, later on January 19, 2024.
Alissa Pili has been named to the All-Pac-12 Team ‼️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/OzpwcTrMWZ
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 5, 2024
The sharpshooter led the Utes all season shooting 55% from the field, 40% from the field and 81.9% from the free throw line.
This is Pili’s third time being recognized by the Pac-12 in postseason.
Ines Vieira Earns Two All-Pac-12 Honorable Mentions
Fondly referred to as the “Mosquito” (which she hates), Vieira raked in two different All Pac-12 Honorable Mentions for her extended role in 2023-24.
Vieira was pushed into the starting point guard role for the Utes after Issy Palmer went down with an undisclosed medical issue at Baylor that she’s battled on and off throughout the season. Despite only standing at 5’6″, the moment was never too big for Vieira.
An Honorable Mention for the All-Defensive Team ‼️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/vZL9t9gtpH
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 5, 2024
Vieira led the league in assists with 181 while averaging six per game. The scrappy point guard also came in second in the league in steals with 76 and averaged 2.53 per game which is third in the Pac-12.
Both stats were good enough to earn Vieira an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 Team and the All-Pac-12 Defensive Team.
This is the junior’s first time being named to either honorable mention team.
Kennady McQueen, Jenna Johnson Add More All-Pac-12 Honorable Mentions To Their Resumes
Kennady McQueen and Jenna Johnson are no strangers to Pac-12 postseason recognition.
McQueen earned her third consecutive All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention by coming in fourth in the league in three-point shots made at 59, and sixth in three-point shots per game at 1.97. The junior guard from Henefer, Utah led the Utes in made threes.
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention Team 🏀#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/16RY02eLU9
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) March 5, 2024
Johnson is on her third league recognition (Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2022 and All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2023).
The junior forward averaged 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 53.2% from the field, 41.7% from the three. Perhaps Johnson’s biggest attribute that doesn’t necessarily get recognized on the stats sheet is her ability to take a charge and regain possession for Utah.
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 X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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