by SALT LAKE CITY – In her first game as a Ute, Alissa Pili (Inupiaq) scored a game-high 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting to lead the Utah women’s basketball team past the University of Idaho, 88-63, on Monday night from the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
The Utes shot 42 percent from the floor in the contest and had two players, Jenna Johnson (10 pts., 13 rebs.) and Teya Sidberry (12 pts., 10 rebs.), collected a double-double in the win. Utah had four players score in double figures in the contest. Utah outrebounded the Vandals by 29 rebounds and had 25 offensive rebounds in the game.
The Utes came out early, hitting two three-pointers as Gianna Kneepkens and Isabel Palmer hit threes to open the game. A few minutes later, Alissa Pili came off the bench and hit a three and then assisted on another basket, putting the Utes ahead 13-9. Utah stretched the lead to eight, 17-9 before the Vandals got hot from the outside. Idaho went seven-for-ten on threes in the first quarter and a three by Tianna Johnson tied the game at 21-21 with 2:42 left in the quarter. The teams traded hoops for the rest of the quarter, and after the first ten minutes of action, we were tied at 29.
Utah came out in the second quarter and locked down the Vandals as they were held scoreless over the quarter’s first five minutes. During the stretch, the Utes went on a 9-0 run taking a 38-29 lead. Utah stretched the lead to 11 points after a Sidberry layup with three minutes to go in the first half. The lead was down to six before Utah stretched the lead to nine 47-38 at halftime.
Coming out of the half, the Utes stretched the lead to 14 points, 54-40, after a second-chance bucket by Johnson. Over the next three minutes, Utah continued to hold onto a double-figure lead, and with 4:41 left in the third quarter, a layup by Palmer put the Utes ahead by 15, 60-45. Utah held the double-digit lead for the remainder of the quarter and led 68-53 with ten minutes to play.
The lead grew to 20 points in the first minutes of the fourth quarter when Lani White hit a pair of free throws. Idaho slowly worked the way back and had the lead down to 14 points, 73-59, but Utah again grew the lead to 24, 84-60, after 11 straight points by Pili. Utah did not let the Vandals back in the game, and the Utes came away with an 88-63 victory on opening night.
