Women's Basketball Hosts Westminster Tuesday
THE GAME
The University of Utah women's basketball program returns to action on Tuesday night when they host the Westminster Griffins in the battle of SLC at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT in their final tune-up before the start of the regular season.
TUESDAY'S MATCHUP
Date | Time: Tuesday, Nov. 1 | 7 p.m. (MT)
Utah (0-0) vs. Westminster (Utah) (0-0)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Jon M. Huntsman Center
Live Stats: Click Here
GAME DAY PROMOTIONS
The Utes host the Griffins in a FREE exhibition contest from the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Join us after the game for a 10-minute autograph session.
HOW TO TUNE IN
The game against Westminster (Utah) will not be streamed and will also not be on the radio. During regular-season games, Utah fans can tune in on ESPN 700, with every Pac-12 game aired this season on the Pac-12 Networks.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are now available. Floor seats are priced at $100, while general admission tickets at $25. Call the Utah ticket office at 801-581-UTIX or visit www.UtahTickets.com.
OPENING TIP
• The Utes were picked to finish fifth in the Media and Coaches' Pac-12 Preseason Polls as voted on by the league media and coaches. This is the highest the Utes have been picked to finish since joining the league.
• The Utes are coming off a 119-62 victory over Northwest Nazarene in the fifth annual Future-Scholars game. Teya Sidberry scored 22 points and 12 rebounds in the contest.
• Sophomore small forward Gianna Kneepkens was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List. She is 1-of-20 small forwards named to the watch list.
• Junior Alissa Pili joins the Utes this season after transferring from USC. She was named to the Katrina McClain Award Watch List. She is 1-of-20 power forward to be named to this watch list. Before her sophomore season, Pili was named to this watch list.
• In the preseason Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll, the Utes are receiving votes. In the AP Poll, Utah received 35 points in the poll, the most by a receiving votes team, and in the coaches poll, the Utes earned 20 points.
• Utah was the highest-scoring team in the Pac-12 (17th NCAA), averaging 75.9 points per game, the fourth-highest figure in school history and the highest since 1980-81. Utah also led the Pac-12 in three-pointers made (7th NCAA; school-record 312), three-point attempts (7th NCAA; 876), assists per game (39th NCAA; 15.3), free throws made (18th NCAA; 469), and free throw attempts (43rd NCAA; 602).
HOME SWEET HUNTSMAN
The Utah Women's Basketball program has an 80-percent winning percentage when playing in Salt Lake City, holding an all-time record of 535-131. 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.
NEXT UP
Utah opens the regular season on Monday, Nov. 7, when they host Idaho at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. The game against the Vandals will be aired on ESPN700 with Tyson Ewing and Milee Enger calling the shots, or you can find it on the Utah live stream. Live Stats can be found at UtahUtes.com.
TEAM NOTES
• For the second straight season, the Utes and Griffins will square off. Last season, Utah came away with a 93-48 victory over the Griffins.
• Utah has hit eight or more threes in 86 games under the direction of Lynne Roberts, going 61-25 in those games. Utah had 25 games last season with 8+ made from downtown, including six games with 14+ (19 vs. Lipscomb, 11/10, 16 vs. Eastern Illinois, 11/28, 15 vs. Cal State Fullerton, 12/10/21, 15 vs. Arkansas, 3/18, 14 vs. Xavier, 11/13, 14 vs. USC 2/9).
• The Utes had a 21-win season last year. This was the first time since 2018-19 and the 29th 20-win season in program history.
• Utah is coming off its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2011. This was the 18th trip in the program's history of making the NCAA Tournament.
• Gianna Kneepkens returns to the Utes this season. The reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year averaged 11.8 points per game as a freshman. She was just the second player in program history to earn Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors.
• The Utes had three players earn Preseason All-Conference honors. Kneepkens and Jenna Johnson were named to the Preseason All-Conference team, while Kennady McQueen earned Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors. All three return to the Utes this season.
• Sophomore Gianna Kneepkens scored in double-figures in 20 of the 33 career games she has played in. She scored 20 or more points in five games last season, including a career-high 29 points against rival BYU.
• Last season, Kennady McQueen hit three or more three-pointers in nine games. In the games she hit three or more, Utah went 7-2. She hit a career-high six threes twice, once against USC (2/9/22) and again in the NCAA Tournament against Arkansas (3/18/22).
• Entering this season, Utah's Dasia Young has scored 740 points in her career. She scored 229 points in her first year with Utah last season. She will look to break the 1,000-point mark this season.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along during the 2022-23 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).