Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Western Colorado (EXHIBITION) on October 27, 2025 at TBD
TBD
Women's Basketball
vs Western Colorado (EXHIBITION)
Saturday, March 1
SALT LAKE CITY
3:00 p.m.
University of Utah
71
vs
66
*BYU
Utes Clinch Mountain West Championship Outright
3/1/2003 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 1, 2003
SALT LAKE CITY - The No. 25 University of Utah women's basketball team (21-4, 11-1) clinched the regular-season Mountain West Conference championship outright this afternoon with a 71-66 win over in-state rival Brigham Young (16-9, 7-5) at the Huntsman Center.
"We won this championship because we were consistent in our approach to every game," Head Coach Elaine Elliott said. "We weren't afraid about what it would mean to lose today. We were excited about what it would mean to win. We were really focused and energetic early. Our kids came ready to play."
The Utes, who went a perfect 13-0 at home this season, shot 43 percent from the field on the game, compared to the 53 percent of the Cougars. But Utah out-rebounded BYU 34-25, including 13-3 on the offensive end, which resulted in 23 second-chance points for the Utes and just two for the Cougars.
Freshman Kim Smith led a group of four Utes in double figures scoring with 18 points. Sophomore Shona Thorburn added 16, and juniors Carley Marshall and Kelsy Stireman had 13 and 10, respectively.
Thorburn and Marshall each pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, while Marshall and sophomore Lana Sitterud dished out four assists apiece.
Utah opened the game on fire, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. After BYU tied it at five, the Utes scored 19 straight points to take a commanding 24-5 advantage. The Cougars then outscored the Utes 24-18, including a 9-0 run, for the remainder of the half, and Utah went into the locker room up 42-29.
BYU chipped away at the Ute lead in the second half, bringing it to as little as three (67-64) with 1:18 left in the game, but with 25 seconds remaining, Cougar senior Lisa Hansen was called for an intentional foul, sending Thorburn to the free throw line and essentially sealing the Utah win.
UP NEXT:
Utah hits the road for its final two regular-season games. The Utes play at New Mexico at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, and at Air Force at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 8.
"We will prepare to play New Mexico and Air Force the same way we have all season," Elliott said. "We'll play to win. Just because we've won the championship doesn't mean we'll approach it any differently."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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