Five Double Digit Scorers Push Utes Past Arizona, 80-64

Sunday, January 6

Salt Lake City, UT

12:00 PM

University of Utah

Arizona

Utah

Photo by: Steve C. Wilson

Five Double Digit Scorers Push Utes Past Arizona, 80-64

1/6/2019 2:58 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three double-doubles, five double-digit scorers and a career-high day for Kiana Moore ended up being the combination for success as Utah routed the Arizona Wildcats, 80-64. Utah improved to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in Pac-12 play.

The Wildcats entered the game shooting 45-percent on the season, but the Utah defense was smothering, holding them to just 33-percent from the floor. On offense, the Utes were 28-of-51 for 54-percent with 18 assists.

Moore led the Utes in scoring with a career-high 19 points in her first start of the season, going 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from the three. Senior Megan Huff recorded 16 points and 13 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double while Dre'Una Edwards chipped in 11 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth fifth double-double of the season.

"We talked about how life is about getting knocked down and getting right back up, and today was an opportunity for us to show what we are really about," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "I am incredibly proud of this team."

"We played really well as a unit out there. We had 14 assists on 19 baskets in the first half and Dru had 10 of them at halftime. We played well, we were moving well for each other and making the extra pass, which is why our shooting percentage was so high. Arizona is a good team. They had won 11 games in a row and they were 2-0 in the league, so we beat a good team today and I thought we controlled it from the beginning to the end."

Dru Gylten put up her first career double-double but with 10 assists and 10 points, adding two steals to her stat line while Andrea Torres added 10 points. Erika Bean also turned in a solid performance on both ends of the court, scoring eight points along with four rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Utah came out firing early, shooting 73-percent from the floor in the first quarter while outscoring the Wildcats 28-15. Moore was 3-of-3 from the arc in the quarter with Utah holding Arizona to just five field goals in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Despite starting the second quarter in a scoring drought, the Utes quickly got out of it by shooting over 70-percent for the second straight quarter while holding Arizona scoreless until the 5:53 mark. The threes continued to fall for the Utes late in the quarter as Sarah Porter hit one to give Utah a 24-point lead with the Utes then heading into halftime up 51-26.

The Utes struggled offensively in the third quarter, only shooting 36-percent while committing five turnovers. Utah stayed strong on defense though, holding Arizona to just 11 points and to one three-point attempt in the quarter, sending Utah into the fourth quarter with a 65-37 lead.

The offensive woes continued for Utah in the fourth as Arizona outscored them 27-15, shooting 58-percent as Aari McDonald exploded for 18 points in the quarter. Arizona cut the Utah lead to just 16 points late in the game, but the Utes were able to run out the final two minutes on the clock to seal the 80-64 win.

The Utes return to action when they take on Washington State and Washington on the road. The game against Washington State is on Friday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. MT followed by a Sunday matinee against Washington at 3 p.m. MT.