Huskies' Offense Struggles In 58-43 Loss to Utah

Sunday, January 13

Seattle, WA

2:00 PM

University of Washington

8-9, 1-4Pac-12

Utah

15-1, 4-1Pac-12

Utah

Washington

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

January 13, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SEATTLE --- Washington's defense was solid especially in the second half, but the offense struggled to match in a 58-43 loss to Utah on Sunday afternoon at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The Huskies drop to 8-9 on the season and to 1-4 in Pac-12 play with the loss while the Utes improve to 15-1 and to 4-1 in the conference.

Washington forced Utah into a season-high 18 turnovers and held them to just 1-of-17 from three-point range. The 58 points scored by the Utes were a season-low as well as the Huskies held Utah to 19 second-half points including just six in the fourth quarter.

But the Washington offense struggled to take advantage, scoring a season-low 43 points while shooting just 33.9% from the field. The Huskies turned the ball over 20 times which led to 28 points by the Utes. Washington held Utah to just three points over a 10+ minute stretch spanning the third and fourth quarters but were only able to score nine during that time.

Utah did nearly all its damage in the paint, scoring 46 of their 58 points inside and shooting 73.5% (25-of-34) on two-point field goal attempts.

After an early bucket by the Huskies, Utah answered back with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 10-2 lead. Peterson ended the run with a mid-range jumper at the 6:03 mark but the Utes answered back with five-straight to stretch the lead to 15-4 with 3:35 left. The Washington defense would ignite a big swing at the end of the quarter, forcing a pair of turnovers and using an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to three at 15-12 with 1:53 to go. Utah would hit a three to end the run, then after a controversial charge call wiped a UW bucket off the board, the Utes would hit a free throw in the final seconds to take a 19-12 lead after one.

Washington closed the gap with a quick 6-2 run to open the second quarter with Melgoza accounting for all the Huskies' points through the first three minutes. But Utah scored a pair of quick buckets in transition over a 20 second stretch to start a 6-0 run, stretching the lead back to nine at 27-18 at the midway point. After exchanging baskets over a two-minute stretch, Utah away went back up by double-figures with four quick points off a pair of UW turnovers to take a 33-22 lead at the 3:15 mark. Melgoza ended the stretch with a tough bucket but the Utes closed out the half on a 6-0 run to hold a 39-24 lead at intermission.

After being held without a three-pointer in the first half, the Huskies connected on two early in the second. The second came from Missy Peterson at the 5:51 mark and ignited an 8-3 UW run over the next two minutes to make it 50-35.

Washington held Utah to just one field goal and three points over the next 10 minutes of the game, but was only able to make up six points, outscoring the Utes 9-3 over that run to cut the deficit to 52-39 with 6:57 left in the game. Neither team would score over the next two minutes until Khayla Rooks got a bucket to make it an 11-point game at the 4:32 mark. But that was as close as the Huskies could get the rest of the way as Utah broke the long drought with a bucket in transition to key a game-ending 6-2 run as the Utes held on for the win.

Megan Huff led all scorers with 25 points and added 12 rebounds for Utah, scoring 15 of the team's 19 second half points. Dre'Una Edwards added 14 points and 10 boards.

Washington returns to action on Friday, traveling to face No. 6 Stanford at Maples Pavilion at 7:00 p.m. in a Pac-12 contest. It will be the first of a tough four-game stretch which sees the Huskies play four teams in the Top 25.