Mitchell leads the Utes with 16 points.
Nov. 28, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah women's basketball team (4-2 overall) rallied from an early 10-point deficit, and it never trailed again as the Utes dispensed of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits here this evening, 67-59.
Utah shot 44.6 percent (25-for-56) for the game in toppling the Jackrabbits. SDSU falls to 5-2 on the season.
It was Leilani Mitchell's 16 points on 4-for-9 shooting that led the way. Half of her points came from the line where she was 8-for-10 on the evening. She also had five boards, six assists and one steal.
Four of five Utah starters were in double-figure scoring numbers tonight as Kalee Whipple and Morgan Warburton chucked in 15 points each. Whipple recorded a double-double in her second straight game, pulling down a game-high 11 caroms. Katie King was the other double-figure scorer for Utah with 12 points.
The Utes, who dominated the boards, 47-27, held SDSU to just 34.7 percent (17-for-49) shooting. Kristen Rotert led the visitors with a game-high 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting. She was 5-for-8 from three-point range. Andrea Verdegan led the Jackrabbits with five boards.
King got the game started with a layup, and both teams exchanged buckets until SDSU went on an 11-0 run to take a 16-6 lead. However, SDSU hit a dry spell right when Utah started to hit its stride.
The Jackrabbits went scoreless for 3:55, and Utah rattled off 10 straight points to tie it up, 16-16 with 10:36 left in the half. With the score tied at 18-18, the Utes put together an 11-0 scoring streak to take the 29-18 lead with 4:23 left. Utah's biggest lead was 33-20, and it came when Whipple hit a layup with 3:23 left in the first. Cydney Knight capped the first half's scoring. Her three-pointer gave Utah the 36-28 cushion at the break.
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The Utes led from wire to wire in the second half. However, their double-digit lead fell into peril when a 10-2 SDSU run cut Utah's lead to four, 57-53, with 3:13 left in the game. However, Warburton hit a big three-pointer with 2:53 left to push Utah's lead up to seven. A pair of Mitchell free throws and a King jumper bumped Utah's lead back up to 10, 64-54, with a minute left. The Utes cruised to the eight-point win.
Utah returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 1, when it plays at Fresno State. Tipoff in the Save Mart Center is set for 3 p.m. (PT).
