Women's Basketball Heads to Tucson to Face No. 10 Arizona
THE GAME
The University of Utah women's basketball team heads to the desert to take on the Wildcats of Arizona on Friday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from the McKale Center.
FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
Date | Time: Friday, Jan. 21 | 7 p.m. (MT)
Utah (9-4, 0-1 Pac-12) at Arizona (12-2, 2-2 Pac-12)
Location: Tucson, Ariz. | McKale Center
Live Stats: Click Here
Live Audio: Click Here
TV/Stream: Pac-12 Networks
HOW TO TUNE IN
The game against Arizona will be aired on 105.5 KOOL FM with Tyson Ewing and Milee Enger calling the shots, or you can find the game on the Pac-12 Networks with Brian Webber and Tammy Blackburn on the call. Live Stats can be found at UtahUtes.com.
OPENING TIP
• For the second time this season, Jenna Johnson was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. She averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game last week. This is the fourth time Utah has taken home this award this season.
• Offense meets defense in Tucson this Friday night. The Utes bring in the top scoring offense in the Pac-12 against the Wildcats, while Arizona limits opponents to 53.3 points per game.
• Sharing is caring! Utah leads the Pac-12 in assists (243) and assists per game (18.7). Utah also leads the Pac-12 in assist to turnover ratio (1.4). In each of those three categories, Utah ranks in the top 20 in the nation. The Utes have tallied an assist on 63 percent of their field goals.
• Utah has hit eight or more threes in 72 games under the direction of Lynne Roberts, going 52-20 in those games. Utah has made ten or more threes in eight games this season. Utah averages 10.9 made three-pointers per game and has made 142 on the season. Both of those lead the Pac-12.
• Following the trip to the desert, the Utes will head to Oregon for a makeup game against the Ducks. Utah's original scheduled date with Oregon was Dec. 31. However, because of Pac-12 Health and Safety Protocols, the contest was postponed and is now rescheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 26.
TEAM NOTES
• Utah has hit eight or more threes in 72 games under the direction of Lynne Roberts, going 52-20 in those games. Utah has made 8+ threes in seven games this season, including five with 10+ (19 vs. Lipscomb, 11/10, 14 vs. Xavier, 11/13, 12 at Hawaii, 11/27, 16 vs. Eastern Illinois, 11/28, 12 vs. BYU, 12/4, 15 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 12/10, 12 vs. UC Riverside 1/14, 11 vs. #2/#3 Stanford 1/16).
• On Monday afternoon, Jenna Johnson was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. This is her second time winning this award and the 18th time in program history that the Utes have won the award. Last week, Johnson averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. She shot 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from the floor and 44.4 percent (4-for-9) on three-pointers.
• Friday's matchup against Arizona will feature the best scoring team in the Pac-12 against the Wildcats defense that holds opponents to the fewest points in the Pac-12. Utah is scoring the third-most points in the NCAA and the most in the Pac-12 averaging 84.7 points per game. However, the Wildcats defense limits opponents to 53.3 points per game, the best mark in the Pac-12 and 14th best in the nation.
• The Pac-12 has been the nation's top-rated conference by RPI in four of the last six seasons, with the Utes facing a Top 25 opponent almost every week. Under the direction of Lynne Roberts, the Utes have knocked off a Top 25 opponent each year, all coming during conference play. Utah will look to add to that list on Friday.
• The Utes are sharing the basketball with the best of them in the nation this season. Utah has tallied 243 assists on 388 made field goals. Utah is picking up an assist on 63 percent of their makes. Utah ranks first in the Pac-12 in assists (243), assists per game (18.7), and assist to turnover ratio (1.4). The Utes have seven games this season with 20 or more assists.
• Utah opened the season with back-to-back 100-point games. This was the second time in program history that Utah scored 100 or more in back-to-back games. The first time this happened was during the 1978-79 season.
• Dru Gylten had a season's best ten assists against the Sooners on Dec. 21st. She was three off of her career-high 13, which she set last season against Montana State. Gylten entered the season at No. 10 on Utah's career assists list and has already moved to fifth this season. Gylten leads the Pac-12 and is eighth in the nation in assists per game (6.1). She also is first in the Pac-12 with 79 assists on the season.
• Brynna Maxwell continues to shine for the Utes. She is one of the best three-pointer shooters in the country. She leads the team in made threes this season with 36, the second-best mark in the Pac-12. Over her three years, Maxwell has made 162 threes, which is the eighth-most in program history.
NEXT UP
After the Utes take on Arizona, Utah travels to Tempe, Ariz. to square off with Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 23. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. MT from Desert Financial Arena. You can catch the game on the Pac-12 Networks or turn on 105.5 KOOL FM and hear Tyson Ewing on the call.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along during the 2021-22 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).