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Ute Women's Basketball Plays Home Opener Against Minnesota
11/16/2009 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m. MT - Salt Lake City, Utah (Jon M. Huntsman Center)
Radio: KALL 700 (Play-by-Play by Chris Tunis)
Live video, audio and stats available at UtahUtes.com
Complete Release in PDF Format 
The Utah women's basketball team plays its first home game of the year against Minnesota on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7:00 p.m. The Utes will be available after the game for autographs.
Scouting Minnesota
Minnesota returns four starters from last year in Brittany McCoy, Ashley Ellis-Milan, Katie Ohm and Jackie Voigt from last year's team that reached the NCAA Second Round. The Gophers were picked to finish third in the Big Ten by the coaches and fourth by the media.
Minnesota defeated Lamar in its season opener on Sunday, 84-45. Kiara Buford had 23 points and 11 rebounds.
It is the second-ever meeting between Utah and Minnesota. The Utes defeated the Gophers, 66-54, in Minnesota on Dec. 8, 2007.
Last Time Out
The Utah women's basketball team could not overcome a strong Utah State start, falling in their season opener to the Aggies, 67-58
Kalee Whipple led Utah with 21 points while Taryn Wicijowski, who earned her first career start, was also in double figures with 12 points. Halie Sawyer pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds for the Utes.
The Aggies came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 13-point lead, 18-5, through the first six minutes of the first half. They would take as much as a 22-point lead in the half and led 44-27 at halftime behind 62.1 percent shooting, led by 16 points from Amber White. Whipple had 14 points for the Utes in the half.
Quick Hits
Senior Sasha McKinnon and freshman Taryn Wicijowski made her first career start against Utah State ... Kalee Whipple reached the 1,400 point plateau against USU. She currently has 1,410 points.
Whipple Moves Up in Record Books
Kalee Whipple is moving up in a number of areas in the Utah record book. She currently ranks 10th all-time in scoring with 1,389 career points. Whipple is also in the top ten in offensive rebounds (201, 7th), defensive rebounds (465, 8th), scoring average (14.2, tied for 7th), three-point field goals made (177, 6th), three-point field goal percentage (38.8, 5th) and three-point field goal attempts (456, 6th).
Youth Is Served
Utah has one of its youngest teams in years, with six freshmen and three sophomores gracing the roster. Utah started two underclassmen against Utah State - sophomore Janita Badon and freshman Taryn Wicijowski. Badon had four assists, eight points and four rebounds against the Aggies while Wicijowski was second on the team in both scoring (12 points) and rebounding (seven). Freshmen Diana Rolniak, Iwalani Rodrigues and Rachel Messer also played off the bench against Utah State.
Badon averaged 19.3 minutes per game last year with four starts. Sophomores Mandy Munns and Josi McDermott also played key minutes off the bench last season.
Wicijowski earned preseason MWC Freshman of the Year honors after spending the summer with the Canadian Junior National Team. Rolniak set the Colorado State record for career blocks and blocks per game. Rodrigues redshirted last year for Utah and won three state titles in high school.
Other freshman for the Utes are Riti Sitivi and Chelsea Bridgewater.
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