Women's Basketball To Start Home Stand vs. Arizona State Friday
THE GAME
The University of Utah women's basketball program will begin a four-game home stand this week, starting with the Arizona State Sun Devils on Friday, Dec. 18 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will tip off at 3 p.m. MT on Friday afternoon, airing on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Mountain.
HOME SWEET HUNTSMAN
The Utah Women's Basketball program has an 81-percent winning percentage when playing in Salt Lake City, holding an all-time record of 507-117. The Utes have nine seasons without a loss at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, also posting a 28-game home winning streak that lasted from Jan. 12, 1995 to Feb. 8, 1997.
HOW TO TUNE IN
Utah's game against Arizona State will air on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Mountain on Friday afternoon with Krista Blunk and Amanda Smith on the call. Fans can also tune in to ESPN 700 with Tyson Ewing giving play-by-play action on the radio. Live stats for the game will be available on UtahUtes.com on the women's basketball schedule page.
THREE POINTERS
• Through just four games, Utah has drained 31 three-pointers, which ranks sixth in the Pac-12. They are averaging 7.8 per game, the third year in a row the Utes have averaged over seven per game.
• Utah brought in the No. 20-ranked recruiting class by ESPN in freshmen Kennady McQueen (four-star, Top 100 recruit), Peyton McFarland (four-star, Top 100 recruit) and Donna Ntambue (Top 15 recruit in Canada), adding 6-5 Aussie Kelsey Rees in April.
• The Utes bring size to the court this season, averaging out at 6-1 between the 14 players on the roster. Ten of Utah's 14 squad members are 6-0 or taller.
NEXT UP
Utah will host the No. 6 Arizona Wildcats on Sunday, Dec. 20 for its final game of 2020, followed by two more home games at the start of the New Year. The Utes will tip off against the Wildcats at 12 p.m. MT on Sunday with the game airing on Pac-12 Networks.
STAY HOME, STAY ENGAGED
Per the Pac-12's COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee, fans will not be allowed at games to begin the season with the decision being revisited based upon health and safety considerations in January 2021. Despite not being in the arena, there are several ways to stay up-to-date and engaged in the game. Fans can follow the Utes on Twitter (@UtahWBB) and Instagram (@UtahWBB) along with catching interesting and informative stories on UtahUtes.com.
TEAM NOTES
• Utah beat No. 15 Oregon State on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, the first win over a Top 25 opponent on the road since they took down No. 19 Arizona State in Tempe on Jan. 19, 2018.
• Through four games this season, 61-percent of Utah's scoring is coming from the starting lineup (Maxwell, Gylten, Becker, Torres, Pendande) while Utah's sophomore class is accounting for 48-percent of the scoring (Maxwell, Martín, Pendande).
• Utah has hit eight or more threes in 54 games under the direction of Lynne Roberts, going 42-12 in those games. Utah hit 10-or-more threes in back-to-back games, knocking down 10 against Oregon State on Dec. 8 and a season-high 12 against Montana State on Dec. 11.
• Brynna Maxwell has scored 59 points this season and is 34 points away from breaking the 500-career points mark as a sophomore. Her 34 points against Oregon State (12/8) was a career-high and the most by a Pac-12 player this year (10th nationally). She earned College Sports Madness National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Player of the Week.
• Dru Gylten recorded a career-high 13 assists in Utah's game against Montana State (12/11), passing her previous career-best of 12 that she set against Arizona State last season. Her 13 assists is the most by a Pac-12 women's basketball player this season and ranks second in Division I women's basketball.