Utah Women’s Basketball Avoids Disaster, Hang Onto 67-58 Win Over Arizona
Jan 31, 2025, 8:57 PM | Updated: Feb 1, 2025, 5:02 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah women’s basketball earned a 67-58 win over the Arizona Wildcats. However, they avoided disaster after giving up an 18-point lead late in the game.
Gavin Peterson and the Utes improved to 16-5, 7-3, who probably learned a couple of valuable lessons tonight as well.
Utah built an 18-point lead early in the initial minutes of the 3rd quarter. However, Arizona Wildcats stormed all the way back to take a 4th quarter lead.
Fortunately, Utah dug deep and turned things around. Over the final six minutes, Utah battled back and forth with Arizona, ultimately to retake the lead and hold onto the win.
UTES WIN!!#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/o9LmJa18AC
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) February 1, 2025
Gianna Kneepkens led the Utes with 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Maty Wilke added 14 points, and Jenna Johnson added 10 points, knocking down a crucial 3-pointer late in the 4th to preserve Utah’s lead.
Utah women’s basketball responds late to Arizona’s big second-half surge
The first quarter featured a fierce back-and-forth, but Kneepkens quickly found her rhythm. She knocked down a 3-pointer in each of the first two quarters and finished the first half with 15 points.
Utah went on an 11-0 run over two minutes late in the 2nd quarter to build a double-digit cushion. They went into halftime with a 10-point advantage, 34-24.
Coming out of the locker room, Kneepkens sparked another quick run. She scored five consecutive points, and Maye Toure knocked down a 3-pointer at the 7:18 mark to push Utah’s lead to 18.
TOURÉ 👌
▶️ FS1
📺 https://t.co/BRvSpDM5Qo#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/eUdWABaKpM— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) February 1, 2025
Unfortunately for Utah, they did not score another point for over five minutes and watched their 42-24 lead dwindle to seven by the end of the third quarter.
The Wildcats cranked up the defensive pressure and carried the intensity into the 4th. Meanwhile, Utah failed to make Arizona pay after breaking their full-court pressure.
The Utes hoisted 3-point shot after 3-point shot but failed to connect. Instead, they should have worked for better shots inside.
They eventually took a 47-46 lead at the 7:06 mark in the quarter, their first lead since early in the first. Fortunately, Utah’s free throw shooting kept them afloat down the stretch.
Then, Jenna Johnson converted a big 3-point shot to give Utah a five-point cushion with 54 seconds left in the game. Utah would add free throws over the final seconds and secured a 67-58 win.
Don't 😴💤 on JJ @jenna_johnson22
▶️ FS1
📺 https://t.co/BRvSpDM5Qo#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/F4t8IAgSsP— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) February 1, 2025
UP NEXT – Utah at Texas Tech
Utah will hit the road for their next contest. They will return to The Lone Star State to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders on February 5, which will be televised on ESPN+.
