The Utah women’s basketball team overcame a flurry of turnovers with a dominant shooting performance to defeat Utah Valley University (UVU) 75-52 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Tuesday night.
Turnovers and Triumph
Despite committing 22 turnovers, the Utes capitalized on the Wolverines’ 16 giveaways, converting them into 15 points off turnovers. Head coach Gavin Petersen acknowledged the sloppy play but praised his team’s resilience.
“They came in with a game plan to test us,” Petersen said. “A lot of unforced turnovers, but our execution in the second half was much better.”
Wilke and White Lead Scoring Surge
The Utes’ sharp perimeter shooting made the difference. Maty Wilke and Lani White combined for six three-pointers in the first half, helping Utah build early momentum. Wilke finished with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting — all from beyond the arc — while White led the team with 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
“As shooters, we love facing a 1-3-1 defense,” Wilke said. “Those corner threes were open all night, and my teammates did a great job finding us.”
Utah shot an impressive 55% from the field and 13-of-25 from three-point range, while holding Utah Valley to just 4-of-10 from deep.
Balanced Contributions and Strong Finishes
Reese Ross pulled down 11 rebounds and added four assists, while Chyra Evans, returning from injury, contributed 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in only 18 minutes of action.
For UVU, Kaylee Headrick led all scorers with 18 points, while Cambree Blackham added 11 and sparked the offense in the third quarter.
After leading 30-20 at halftime, Utah saw its lead trimmed to five before responding with a decisive run late in the third. The Utes then outscored the Wolverines 23-13 in the fourth quarter to seal their third straight win.
“Really proud of our team putting 40 minutes together,” Petersen said. “Utah Valley is a good program — they’ll win a lot of games this season.”
What’s Next
With the win, Utah improves to 3-0 on the season and will host No. 23 Washington on Saturday. Utah Valley drops to 2-1 and will look to rebound against Pepperdine in Orem on Friday.
For full stats, schedules, and updates, visit the University of Utah Athletics website.
