Preview:
On January 27, 2019, Stanford trundled into Utah--probably expected an easy win. Instead, Sacramento native Erika Bean went 5/8 from three point range and Utah beat us 75-68. The Hulls, Jerome, and Wilson are the only players on our team who will remember that day, and only 6'2" forward Andrea Torres from Utah is back. I raise this however not because that particular outcome is likely again, but because Utah is not Washington State. Utah has beaten us and like Colorado is more dangerous at home. Since that game we have beaten Utah quite handily four times--with margins around 30 points.
Utah has played well so far this year, and is 9-3, but it is hard to know how they will do against elite competition. Their offense seems prolific--they have scored more than 100 points in three games, and that is saying something considering they have had 5 games postponed. And there is the problem--the 5 games that have been postponed were their first 5 Pac 12 games, dating back to late December. They played for the first time in a month against UC Riverside on Friday who filled in for a missing Cal. They have beaten Hawaii, Xavier, and a bunch of lesser programs, but lost to Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and BYU. We are their Pac 12 opener.
Utah is averaging a phenomenal 86 points per game, and averaging 11 made three point shots per game. But they lead their opponents in just about every statistical category--which may not mean a lot given their opponents. Or it might. Who knows.
Utah is led by a 6'2" freshman forward Jenna Johnson, averaging 14ppg and shooting 45% of her treys. But she gets just 23 minutes per game--Coach Lynne Roberts plays 12 players 10 minutes or more per game, so we should expect to face liberal substitutions and a lot of fresh legs at elevation.
Their most prolific three point shooter is Lynne Maxwell, a 6'0" junior guard who is shooting 45% from three point range too, but in volume.
All in all, 10 Utah players have attempted at least 10 three point shots this year, so this is certainly a team strategy. Perimeter defense will be critical.
Utah does have 6'4" and 6'5" forwards, but they have not started very much.
On offense, I would certainly anticipate that we would pound the ball inside with Brink and Belibi where we should have an advantage. If Utah plays zone and clogs the paint, then we have to hope that Jump and our outside shooting will be as good as their outside shooting. Or perhaps it will be an opportunity for Demetre to hit midrange jumpers from the elbow. By the way--did anyone see Demetre at the Colorado game?
On defense, we will need to defend the perimeter against nearly all of their players. That could leave lanes open for drives to the basket, where we will have to hope that Brink and the bigs can reject a lot of shots from smaller players--without fouling.
On January 27, 2019, Stanford trundled into Utah--probably expected an easy win. Instead, Sacramento native Erika Bean went 5/8 from three point range and Utah beat us 75-68. The Hulls, Jerome, and Wilson are the only players on our team who will remember that day, and only 6'2" forward Andrea Torres from Utah is back. I raise this however not because that particular outcome is likely again, but because Utah is not Washington State. Utah has beaten us and like Colorado is more dangerous at home. Since that game we have beaten Utah quite handily four times--with margins around 30 points.
Utah has played well so far this year, and is 9-3, but it is hard to know how they will do against elite competition. Their offense seems prolific--they have scored more than 100 points in three games, and that is saying something considering they have had 5 games postponed. And there is the problem--the 5 games that have been postponed were their first 5 Pac 12 games, dating back to late December. They played for the first time in a month against UC Riverside on Friday who filled in for a missing Cal. They have beaten Hawaii, Xavier, and a bunch of lesser programs, but lost to Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and BYU. We are their Pac 12 opener.
Utah is averaging a phenomenal 86 points per game, and averaging 11 made three point shots per game. But they lead their opponents in just about every statistical category--which may not mean a lot given their opponents. Or it might. Who knows.
Utah is led by a 6'2" freshman forward Jenna Johnson, averaging 14ppg and shooting 45% of her treys. But she gets just 23 minutes per game--Coach Lynne Roberts plays 12 players 10 minutes or more per game, so we should expect to face liberal substitutions and a lot of fresh legs at elevation.
Their most prolific three point shooter is Lynne Maxwell, a 6'0" junior guard who is shooting 45% from three point range too, but in volume.
All in all, 10 Utah players have attempted at least 10 three point shots this year, so this is certainly a team strategy. Perimeter defense will be critical.
Utah does have 6'4" and 6'5" forwards, but they have not started very much.
On offense, I would certainly anticipate that we would pound the ball inside with Brink and Belibi where we should have an advantage. If Utah plays zone and clogs the paint, then we have to hope that Jump and our outside shooting will be as good as their outside shooting. Or perhaps it will be an opportunity for Demetre to hit midrange jumpers from the elbow. By the way--did anyone see Demetre at the Colorado game?
On defense, we will need to defend the perimeter against nearly all of their players. That could leave lanes open for drives to the basket, where we will have to hope that Brink and the bigs can reject a lot of shots from smaller players--without fouling.
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