Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Utah State on November 7, 2025 at 6:00 PM
6:00 PM
Women's Basketball
at Utah State
The University of Utah Athletics
Thursday, January 4
Salt Lake City, Utah
7:00 PM
University of Utah
51
vs
48
San Diego State
Utah Women Come Back, Top SDSU 51-48
1/4/2007 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah women's basketball team overcame a very slow start Thursday night at the Huntsman Center. The Utes came from behind to defeat San Diego State 51-48 in both teams' Mountain West Conference opener.
Utah (8-6, 1-0 MWC) had trouble taking care of the ball and shooting it in the first half. The Utes gave away 15 turnovers and converted just 26.1 percent of their shots from the field in the first half. San Diego State (7-5, 0-1 MWC) took advantage of Utah's sluggish start and built a lead of as many as 13 points.
The Utes held a 10-9 lead eight minutes into the contest. A 7-0 San Diego State spurt put the Aztecs on top 16-10 with 10:32 left in the first half. Utah pulled within 16-12, but SDSU then scored the next nine points while Utah went scoreless for more than six minutes. The Aztecs led 25-12 with less than four minutes to go. Kate Eveland's three-pointer sparked the second Aztec outburst. By halftime, San Diego State still maintained an 11-point advantage, 27-16.
The second half was a much different story. Utah attacked the basket in the second half, getting to the free-throw line early and often. Utah shot three free throws in the first half. The Utes had attempted three from the line in the first 1:37 of the second half. All told, Utah was 19-of-21 from the charity stripe in the second half, making 19 straight after two misses to open the half.
The Utes got back into the game in the first five minutes of the second half, outscoring San Diego State 10-3. Six of those 10 points came from the free-throw line, including a pair by Kalee Whipple (Fr., Hiko, Nev.), which pulled Utah within four, 30-26.
San Diego State pushed its lead back to six, 36-30, midway through the second half on an inside basket from Shannon Clay. Utah then began another big push, cutting into its deficit and eventually grabbing the lead. A 9-2 Ute outburst, sparked by a Joh-Teena Filipe (So., Salt Lake City) three-point play gave Utah its first lead. Whipple capped the run with a layup off a nice feed from Morgan Warburton (So., Helper, Utah) to give Utah a 39-38 advantage with 7:36 left to play.
The two teams traded the lead back and forth twice, and combined for three ties over the next 3:35. With the contest tied 43-43, Warburton drove past her defender down the left side of the lane and scored a layup to put the Utes up 45-43. Filipe scored on Utah's next trip to make it 47-43. A pair of Warburton free throws gave Utah a six-point lead, 49-43, with just more than two minutes remaining.
But SDSU wasn't finished. A Clay basket and a clutch three-pointer from Quenese Davis pulled the Aztecs back within one, 49-48. San Diego State had two possessions with opportunities to take the lead. But Desiree Johnson missed a pair of free throws and Davis missed a runner in the lane with 11 seconds left. Utah's Brette Ulsaker (Fr., McPherson, Kan.) corralled the rebound on Davis' miss and drew a foul. Ulsaker drained two free throws to put the Utes up by three. Tamika Lipford's desperation three-point attempt at the buzzer bounced harmlessly off the glass.
Filipe recorded her third double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Both were game-high totals. Filipe was 7-of-9 at the free-throw line. The rest of the Utes were a combined 15-of-15 from the stripe. Warburton tied Filipe for scoring honors in the game with 15. Davis led the Aztecs with 14 points and was the only SDSU player in double figures.
Utah is back in action again Sunday afternoon, when they travel to The Pit for a 3 p.m. contest at New Mexico. The matchup with the Lobos will be aired nationally on CSTV.
-UU-
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballUtah: 88, Sioux Falls: 62 | Utah Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference
Monday, November 03
ESPN+ Feature | Utah Women's Basketball's Head Coach Gavin Petersen
Monday, November 03
Rooted in RED | Episode 1: It Takes What It Takes
Tuesday, October 28
2025 Big 12 Utah Women's Basketball Media Day Interview
Thursday, October 23