UP NEXT: No. 11 Utah to take on Saint Joseph's

Thursday, December 7

Philadelphia, PA

5:00 PM

University of Utah

Saint Joseph's

12/5/2023 1:01 PM | Women's Basketball

SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 11 ranked University of Utah women's basketball team is set to take on Saint Joseph's on Thursday, December 7 at 5:00 p.m. (MT).

GAME INFORMATION
Utah (7-1, 0-0 Pac-12) vs. Saint Joseph's (7-0)
DATE | TIME: Thursday, Dec. 7 | 5:00 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City | Jon M. Huntsman Center
LIVE STATS: Click Here
LIVE STREAM: Click Here
LISTEN: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UtahWBB

HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans can watch the Saint Joseph's game on ESPN+ with Pat McCarthy and Renie Shields on the call. The radio call will be on ESPN 700, with Tyson Ewing handling play-by-play and Milee Enger as analyst. Live stats are on UtahUtes.com.

OPENING TIP
The Utes have posted a 7-1 record so far on the season and are 5-0 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The Utes are currently on a 21-game win streak at home.

LAST TIME OUT
Utah hosted BYU and took down the Cougars 87-68. Kennady McQueen set the tone early, knocking down a three pointer to put the Utes on the board. Utah jumped out to a 10-point lead early in the first quarter and never lost the double digit lead. Utah was led by Pili, who had 23 points and a career-high five made three pointers. Utah ended the game with 17 made from beyond the arc and shot 53% from the field, 50% from the three and 72% from the line.

THE UTES
Utah is returning all of last year's starting five including All-American and Pac-12 Player of the Year, Alissa Pili as well as All-American Gianna Kneepkens.Utah also brings back starters, Jenna Johnson, Kennady McQueen and Isabel Palmer. Ines Vieira, Lani White and Dasia Young also return for the Utes. Utah welcomes three transfers in Matyson Wilke, Alyssa Blanck and Samantha Crispe as well as two true freshmen Daniela Falcon Hernandez and Reese Ross to this year's squad.

Pili has earned Preseason AP All-American Honorable Mention as well as been named to the Katrina McClain Preseason Watchlist, Naismith Trophy Watchlist and the WBCA Wade Trophy Preseason Watchlist. Pili was also placed No. 9 on the ESPN Top 25 Women's Basketball Players list. Kneepkens also raked in some preseason recognition as she was named to the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Watchlist and Naismith Trophy Watchlist.

IN THE RANKS
Utah has been ranked No. 11in the latest AP Top 25 polls. Utah has been ranked in the Top 25 for four consecutive weeks. Utah was ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll. This was the highest preseason ranking for Utah in school history and the first time the Utes have been ranked to start a season since 2005. Utah is one of six Pac-12 schools currently in the Top 25.

HEAD COACH LYNNE ROBERTS
Roberts is in her ninth season at the helm of the Utes. She has posted a 146-104 record in her time at Utah. She was dubbed the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the team to its first ever Pac-12 regular season title. She led Utah to its second ever Sweet 16 appearance. Roberts also led the Utes to its highest AP Rankings in school history, including 12 weeks in the Top 10.

SCOUTING SAINT JOSEPH'S
The Saint Joseph's Hawks are currently undefeated with an 8-0 record. The Hawks are coming off a 62-47 win over Boston University. Saint Joseph's is scheduled to take on Boston University Tuesday, Dec. 5 before taking on the Utes. The Hawks are led by Talya Brugler who averages 14.9 points per game. Laura Ziegler leads Saint Joseph's in rebounding averaging 11 rebounds. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

NOTABLES
(all statistical rankings are updated through games of 12/4/23)

Ranked No. 11 in this week's AP Top 25 Polls
Utah has been ranked for four consecutive weeks this season in the Top 25. Last year, the Utes broke the record being ranked for 13 consecutive weeks in the AP Top 10 during 2022-23 and was ranked in the AP Poll 19 consecutive weeks.
The Utes are 5-0 in the Huntsman Center this year and are currently on a 21-game win streak at home.
Utah's 98-34 win over Merrimack College is Utah's largest margin of victory so far this season.
Against South Carolina State (Nov. 9), Utah had 21 made three pointers breaking the school record for most threes in a game which was previously set at 19 (vs. Lipscomb Nov. 10, 2021).
Utah has four Utes averaging double figures, Alissa Pili (22.3), Gianna Kneepkens (17.8), Isabel Palmer (14) and Reese Ross (10.0).
Utah has posted five games of 100 points or more and are undefeated when hitting 100 or more in school history (25-0).
Utah is the nation's No. 1 scoring team and ranked No. 1 nationally in seven major statistical categories:

            o No. 1 scoring (99.0)
            o No. 1 in assists per game (27.4)
            o No. 1 field goal percentage (55.4)
            o No. 1 scoring margin (+42.5)
            o No. 1 in three point percentage (44.5)
            o No. 1 in made three pointers per game (14.6)
            o No. 1 in three point attempts per game (32.9)

Alissa Pili is No. 3 in the nation in field goal percentage (74.2), No.13 in scoring (178) and No. 12 in points per game (22.2).
Alissa Pili was named an AP Preseason All-American Honorable Mention, as well as named to the Katrina McClain Preseason Watchlist, the Wade Trophy Watchlist, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award Watchlist.
The Utes are coming off a historic 2022-23 season including a Pac-12 regular season title and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance
At the helm for the Utes is reigning Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Lynne Roberts who enters her ninth season

NEXT UP
Utah will hit the road to take on St. Joseph's. Utah will take on No. 1 South Carolina in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase Dec. 10 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along during the 2023-24 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).