LAS VEGAS (ABC4 Sports) – After winning a share of its first Pac-12 Championship, the #3 Utah women’s basketball team suffered a shocking defeat in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, 66-58.
The Utes (25-4) shot just 38 percent from the field, and made just 5 of 22 three-pointers in dropping its fourth game of the season. Utah beat the Cougars twice in the regular season.
Gianna Kneepkens led the Utes with 18 points, while Pac-12 Player of the Year Alissa Pili struggled from the field, making just 3-of-14 shots to finish with 11 points.
The Utes led 16-13 after the first quarter, and 30-24 at the half. But Washington State outscored Utah in the third quarter, 27-11 to take control of the game. The Cougars ended the quarter on a 14-0 run.
The Cougars led by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter before a Utah run cut the deficit to 61-58 with 40 seconds left. But a three-pointer by Charlisse Leger-Walker with ten seconds left to beat the shot clock left iced the game for Washington State.
Bella Murekatate led the Cougars with 19 points, while Leger-Walker added 15. Washington State shot 45 percent from the field, 46 percent from the three-point range.
Utah starting point guard Izzy Palmer missed the game with an injury.
The Utes will now await Selection Sunday on March 12 to see where they will be placed in the NCAA March Madness Bracket.
Utah will host the first two round of the tournament at the Huntsman Center, but hopes of a #1 seed were damaged by Thursday’s loss in Las Vegas.
