Dawgs Earn Weekend Sweep, Beat Utah
Box Score | Highlights | Osahor Interview
SEATTLE – Washington earned its first Pac-12 weekend sweep of the season, knocking off Utah on Sunday morning at Alaska Airlines, 63-51. The Dawgs (16-4, 5-3) got off to a hot start, before grinding it out over the Utes (6-13, 0-8) who like to slow down the tempo.
Washington jumped out to a 19-4 lead as Chantel Osahor had the hot hand early on. Earning her third start of the year with Talia Walton out with an ankle sprain, Osahor scored eight quick points, including knocking down a pair of 3-pointers.
The Utes made their comeback effort early, reeling off a 13-0 run to get back in the game. Up just 19-17, Kelsey Plum ignited the Husky offense with a 3-pointer then two free throws as the Dawgs regained control. Khalia Lark made it an 8-0 run with a 3-pointer as Washington made it a double-digit lead.
The Dawgs led 31-21 at halftime as Plum led all scorers with 11 points. The Dawgs shot just 33 percent (9-27) from the floor, but forced 12 Utah turnovers to just four of their own. The Huskies were also efficient from the foul line, making 8-9, while the Utes were just 1-6.
The Utes hung around for much of the second half as their grinding style makes it a tough team to run away from. Still, the Dawgs were in control the whole way as Plum continued to lead the offense. The sophomore guard finished with 26 points, while making 13-14 from the free throw line.
The Dawgs were also bolstered by role players with Walton out of the lineup. Osahor started her third game and finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. She made three from beyond the 3-point arc, while adding two assists and two steals.
Brianna Ruiz also made three from downtown, finishing 3-3 for nine points. Off the bench, Katie Collier added six points and four rebounds in 22 minutes, while Lark scored five points in just nine minutes.
The Dawgs shot just 33.9 percent (19-56) for the game, but got it done from the foul line, making 17 of 19. Washington also forced 16 turnovers to help make up for getting outrebounded, 38-32.
The Dawgs will now head back out on the road with the always difficult trip to the Bay Area. Washington will face California on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., followed by Stanford on Monday night at 7 p.m. Both games will have big implications on the Pac-12 race and will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks.