COLLEGE PARK, Maryland — A powerful start from Utes couldn't stop history from repeating itself, as the women fell once more to one-seeded Maryland 71-56 at the Comcast Center night.
The loss came despite the efforts of senior forward Kalee Whipple, who posted a game-high 24 points and went 9-20 from the field. Senior Morgan Warburton put in 17 points, but went 0 for 6 from behind the arc.
Strength was the issue as Utah, a team which typically thrives on the boards, was outmuscled by the physical Terps, pulling down just 24 total rebounds to Maryland's 54.
"There was simply a difference in physicality we could not overcome," said coach Elaine Elliot. "We couldn't change that."
The Utes came out fired up, with Warburton, the Mountain West Conference player of the year, netting the first basket of the game. Scores from Utes Janita Badon, Katie King and Kalee Whipple followed hard upon to give the team a 9-4 lead.
Unfortunately for Utah, the tempo soon changed in Maryland's favor.
"We started out so strong," said senior forward Katie King. "But it has to be an all 40-minute thing. We got that intensity up the first 10, 15 minutes of the game, then we let down for 2 minutes and they go on a big huge run on us."
The lead slipped away as Maryland seemed to find its groove and the Utes struggled to find the basket.
When Whipple dropped a three pointer, Maryland's Marissa Coleman answered back with a jumper, tying the game at 18.
The next twelve minutes were all Maryland's, as the Terps went on a 30-10 run, finishing the half ahead 44-28. Despite a valiant second-half effort, it was a gap the Utes could not close.
"They just started hitting more of their shots and we started missing more of ours," said Whipple. "I thought we came out in the second half and fought pretty well."
Utah did not come within thirteen points of their opponent in the second half.
Coleman led the Terps with 18 total points and 18 rebounds. Fellow senior Kristi Toliver, who scored 28 points to lead Maryland over Utah in the 2006 tournament, added 17.
Demauria Liles also had a double-double, with 12 points and 17 boards.
"I felt like we actually did a better job later on on the two of them," said Elliot of Toliver and Coleman. "The people that got away from us were the kids that kept cutting to the rim, getting boards and giving them second
chances."
Down low, King and fellow forward Halie Sawyer were stymied by Liles and 6'4" center Lynetta Kizer. King, who had a game-high 18 points in Sunday's contest against Villanova, managed only 8 points in the contest.
While yesterday's loss means the end of the season for the Utes, the team, which finished the season 22-10, has plenty to be proud of.
"We started off the season so slow, and no one believed in us starting out," said King. "It's sad, it being the last game, but looking back on it it's been a great year."
After starting off the season 1-4, Utah went 19-3 to end the season. The team also won both the regular season and tournament Mountain West Conference Championships.
"Our seniors have done a tremendous job leading this team in this great season," said Elliot. "I'm very proud of the team they became and I'm very proud of their success in this tournament."
"I think we found who we were and it's sad that it ends here," Warburton added. "I am really proud and I wouldn't trade my team for anything."
Maryland will go on to face 4th-seeded Vanderbuilt in Regional play in Raleigh, NC on Monday, March 30.