The University of Utah women’s basketball team suffers its fourth straight loss. UCLA topped the Utes 100-90 on Sunday in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
UCLA went on a 12-2 run to take an 85-68 lead with 4:19 left in the game, but the Utes fought back late in the fourth on two huge three-pointers from Megan Huff to make it a seven-point game with just 40 seconds remaining. The Bruins were able to convert on some key free throws down the stretch despite Utah cutting it to seven again with 22 seconds on the clock.
“They shot 73-percent in the fourth quarter, they just weren’t missing shots,” head coach Lynne Roberts said. “Part of that was a reflection of our defensive intensity, but also I think UCLA did a nice job. They have some players that can shoot and they weren’t missing there in the fourth quarter and they made a lot of contested jump shots. So, you have to give them some credit. When you score 90 points, you think that should be good enough, but it was our defense that wasn’t great.”
“We have to come to the awareness that we have a target on our back now. Teams get focused to play us. We have to have a little bit more of a fight to us. I though Huff was great today. She played like a senior and was fearless. But if you would have asked me if we would have had more offensive rebounds than them and if I thought we’d win, I would have said absolutely.”
Utah had five double-digit scorers for the second straight game, led by Huff who had 23 points, 13 rebounds and three assists.
Dre’Una Edwards added a career-high 21 points and chipped in six rebounds. Kiana Moore put up 17 points and three assists along with Dru Gylten’s 14 points and seven assists. Erika Bean rounded out Utah’s double-digit performers with 10 points and a team-high eight assists.
The Utes return to action Friday night when they take on the Arizona Wildcats.
The game tips off at 6:00 p.m. MT and will be streamed live on Pac-12.com/Live.