SALT LAKE CITY — For the Utah women’s basketball team, last week’s road trip to Oregon was the toughest any college basketball team in the country, men or women, has taken so far this year.
The Utes faced off against No. 3 Oregon State Friday and No. 2 Oregon Sunday and for a team as young as the Utes, whose two leading scorers are freshmen, the results were predictable as they lost both games rather handily.
So what is Utah’s reward for enduring last weekend’s defeats by a combined 66 points?
A date with undefeated No. 8-in-the-country UCLA at home Friday night.
“There’s no rest for the weary,” said Ute coach Lynne Roberts. “That’s Pac-12 basketball, that’s what it’s about. In the Pac-12, there’s no mercy. We’ve got to keep our heads about us, see the big picture and keep improving.”
“There’s no rest for the weary. That’s Pac-12 basketball, that’s what it’s about. In the Pac-12, there’s no mercy. We’ve got to keep our heads about us, see the big picture and keep improving.” — Ute coach Lynne Roberts
Like the Ute men’s team, the Utah women are one of the youngest teams in the country. Besides the two leading scorers, Lola Pendande (12.6 ppg) and Brynna Maxwell (11.6 ppg) being freshmen, three of the next four top scorers are sophomores, Niyah Becker, Dru Gylten and Andrea Torres.
The Utes had hoped to get a good season from Daneesha Provo, who was the second-leading scorer each of the past two seasons when she averaged 13.5 and 12.3 ppg, respectively, but it’s been tough going after coming back from a torn ACL, suffered a year ago.
She’s only played in six games and has shot just 3-for-25 from the field.
“Coming back from an ACL is very hard, but mentally is hard too,” said Roberts. “She’s just not shooting the ball yet, the efficiency on offense isn’t there yet. She’s just got to play through it and I believe she can knock them down.”
After playing 14-0 UCLA Friday at 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center, the Utes will face 8-6 USC Sunday at noon.