Utah Wins Rebel Division With 73-48 Win Over Hawaii

Friday, December 21

Las Vegas, NV

3:30 PM

University of Utah

Hawai'i

Hawaii

Utah

Utah Wins Rebel Division With 73-48 Win Over Hawaii

12/21/2018 6:54 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Utah women's basketball team won the Rebel Division championship in the Duel In The Desert Tournament today with a 73-48 win over Hawaii. The Utes improved to 11-0 to finish out non-conference play.

Senior Megan Huff was named Rebel Division tournament MVP while Daneesha Provo earned all-tournament team honors. This is the second time in the Lynne Roberts era that the Utes have finished non-conference play undefeated, also going 11-0 in 2016-17.

Utah only had a four-point lead heading into halftime, but exploded for 32 points in the third to gain control over the game. The Utes shot 47-percent from the floor overall and out-rebounded the Rainbow Wahine 40-27.

"We were finally defending in the second half and our defense was really good in that third quarter," Roberts said. "It allowed us to get out and run and get those high percentage shots in the paint. We talked about at halftime that we weren't winning the paint, in rebounding and in scoring. So, we just had to win the paint, meaning defend better inside. I thought in that third and fourth quarter we were a lot tougher."

Utah was led in scoring by Provo, who had 20 points along with two rebounds and two steals. Huff added her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Dre'Una Edwards chipped in 10 point, five rebounds and three blocks.

Erika Bean also put up a complete game for the Utes with a season-high 11 assists. She also recorded six points and five rebounds while running the point for the Utes.

The first quarter turned into a game of runs as Utah started the game with a 7-0 lead, holding Hawaii without a field goal until the 5:53 mark. Hawaii countered late in the quarter with a 9-0 scoring streak to take the lead before Huff was fouled on a three-point attempt, scoring all three free throws to give Utah a 14-12 lead.

The Utes got into an offensive rhythm in the second quarter, hitting five straight shots that included three consecutive threes from Sarah Porter, Huff and Andrea Torres to give Utah a 27-21 lead with 4:46 on the clock. Much like the first quarter though, the game remained close with Hawaii able to edge within two before Huff hit a layup to give Utah a four-point advantage head into halftime.

Utah outscored Hawaii 32-11 in the third quarter, starting the period on a 15-2 run that included dominant play from both Provo and Bean to give the Utes a steady lead. Utah went on to go on another scoring streak later on in the quarter (8-0), taking a 61-36 lead heading into the fourth quarter after shooting 77-percent in the third.

Despite only shooting 22-percent from the floor in the fourth quarter, the Utes were able to keep a safe distance from Hawaii. Hawaii cut it to 19 with 8:07 on the clock, but that would be the closest they would get as Utah went on to grab its 11^thstraight win and 70-plus point game.

Utah returns to action when they start conference play on the road at Colorado. The game is set for a 1 p.m. MT tip on Sunday, Dec. 30.