Utah women’s basketball: Senior-less Utes are reaching new heights

Of all the impressive stats and achievements Utah’s women’s basketball team has recorded so far this season, perhaps the most surprising development is that the coach has Lynn RobertsThe roster does not include seniors.

not one.

Utah’s undefeated women’s team is having by far the best season of any basketball team in the state when the calendar rolls into 2023. That’s not surprising considering what Utah did last season with many of the same players that make up this season’s team. .

“We have really improved, but we will be tested here soon and in Pac-12 play for the rest of the season,” Roberts told Deseret News on Wednesday. “The goal is always to do better than before, but never (not satisfied).”

The No. 11 Utes (1-0, 12-0) resumed Pac-12 play in Washington State on Friday (0-1, 10-2) and will play in Washington on Sunday (1-0, 9-2). ). Utah certainly proved it for real with out-of-conference wins over No. 16 Oklahoma (the Sooners’ only loss to date), Alabama, Ole Miss and BYU. Pac-12 – Opening 85-58 Colorado Rout It took place on December 14th, but now struggles against familiar competitors every time.

When asked if Ute had adjusted their goals after their phenomenal start, Roberts said, “We have to take it in small steps, not looking ahead.” To be better than last week, to beat the wazu, and when we wake up on Saturday morning, our goal is to beat Washington, so we try to stay one step ahead of yesterday, but never ourselves. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Given that Utes has beaten nearly every opponent so far, it’s easy to stay ahead. They found themselves a legitimate threat to his Pac-12 title at Stanford in his 124-78 win over Oklahoma at his center Huntsman on November 16, and they’re on the move.

After Cinderella entered the Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game last season and a 92-69 first-round win over Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament, the Utes knew they were going to be a good team in 2022-23. The only notable contributor to move on.

But is this okay?

“We have some really great players,” Roberts said. “We have talent and we have (good) depth.”

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Roberts admits the addition of USC transfer Alyssa Piri was a big reason. The junior forward from Anchorage, Alaska, leads the Utes with a 20.1 average, placing him 3rd in the Pac-12 and 19th nationally. Of particular value is Pili, who has a field goal percentage (66.4%) in the domestic league, as fellow post-player Peyton McFarland is slowly returning from an ACL injury sustained in the Pac-12 Tournament last March. 6th place and recently surpassed 1,000. point plateau in her career.

“Yeah, the addition of (Piri) was big,” Roberts said. “I always teased her that I kicked her out of her high school, but she wouldn’t answer my calls. But now we’ve got her here.

Piri played three seasons at USC, but when she entered the transfer portal, Roberts and her staff were named High School All-American Female Athlete of the Year twice by MaxPreps, earning a 6-2 star rating. I jumped at the chance.

Pili started his Utes career by scoring 27 points against Idaho. she had 28 Against BYU and Mississippi Valley State.

Roberts said, “Her scoring ability is very unique. “She’s one of the most efficient players I’ve ever had. I am in the best shape of my life.”

As a point guard after Gilten returned to South Dakota, Roberts said Ute “hasn’t skipped a beat.” Australian junior guard Issy Palmer and Portuguese sophomore guard Inés Vieira added international talent And because it’s so good at pushing the pace, it’s able to get Piri and returning stars like Gianna Neepkens, Kennedy McQueen, and Jenna Johnson out and running and 3- ignite. Pointer — remains a key component of Utah’s offense.

Hunter Dyke of the Utah Athletics

“They share the role of[starting point guard]. They both play about the same amount of minutes,” Roberts said. They push the tempo and do a great job, but they’re also different types of players, which is really great.”

This is the highest ranking since January 1998, when the city was ranked 11th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Stanford University is his third.

The Utes have the second best start in program history if they can beat Washington State at Pullman on Friday afternoon. This is his third time Utah has had his 11-0 start or better in Roberts’ eight-year tenure. Utah is one of six undefeated teams in the nation to play this weekend.

How high can this team go?

Roberts doesn’t mention it, only saying that the Utah practice gym has a Suite 16 banner (from 2000 to 2001). He didn’t do the big dance.

“So it’s a daily reminder of what we want to eventually reach,” she said. ‘s philosophy is that we don’t have to talk every day, but we want to talk about the end goal.”

Offensively, Roberts has little to worry about going into this season, and her hunch was correct.The Utes are second in the nation in scoring, averaging 92.5 points per game. They are in the top five in five key statistical categories, including field goal percentage (66.4%), assists per game (21.4), scoring margin (+34.6), and assist/turnover percentage (1.52) .

They made eight or more 3-pointers in seven games.

“To keep it up, we have to keep improving,” said Roberts. “I know it’s a cliché,” but it’s true. Our team is now very welcoming and very enthusiastic.

“As coaches, we don’t have to deal with other things.

If the roster can get the band together in this era of transfer portals and the lure of NIL from other schools, even without a senior on the roster, it’s a good sign for next season.

“Now is the time to jump on the bandwagon,” says Roberts.

“We’re getting to a point where the community is really engaging with us in the next phase of development as a program,” says Roberts.

Because everyone loves winners, especially those who can shoot long balls.

Hunter Dyke of the Utah Athletics