Washington Rally Falls Short in 74-65 Loss to Utah

Friday, February 7

Seattle, WA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

10-12,2-9Pac-12

Utah

11-11,4-7Pac-12

Utah

Washington

Photo by: Brian Morse / Washington Athletics

February 07, 2020 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SEATTLE --- Amber Melgoza scored 15 points and Haley Van Dyke but despite erasing a 15-point first-half deficit with a big third quarter, Washington could not complete the comeback, falling 74-65 to Utah on Friday night at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The loss drops the Huskies to 10-12 and to 2-9 in Pac-12 play while the Utes move to 11-11 and to 4-7 in conference.

Melgoza continued to pace the Washington offense with 15—four of which came after her back seized up in the third quarter causing her to fall into the Husky bench during play. Van Dyke had 12 points for the Huskies on 5-of-7 shooting, adding four rebounds, two steals and a block. Missy Peterson added 10 points and three rebounds.

Washington struggled in the first half, falling behind by as many as 15 in the second quarter. But the Huskies would outscore the Utes 25-16 in the third as Peterson scored nine of her 10 points in the period with UW pulling within four at the break. But Utah opened the fourth strong and pulled away late

After the teams opened the game by exchanging buckets, the Utes rattled off a 13-point run to open a 15-2 lead near the midway point of the first quarter. T.T. Watkins would end the run with a bucket, then followed with an offensive board and putback on the next trip down. A pair of free throws by Melgoza made it a 15-8 game at the 2:55 mark, but Utah would stretch the lead back to 13 before a Melgoza three would make it a 23-13 game after one.

Washington would close the deficit to eight with a pair of defensive stops and buckets by Haley Van Dyke, the second of which made it a 27-19 game at the 6:09 mark. But again, Utah had the answer, using a seven-point run over the next three minutes to go up 34-19 with 3:37 left. Mai-Loni Henson would drain a three-pointer to stop the run, then Watkins got a great steal and layup as time expired to make it a 38-25 game at the break.

The teams went back and forth to open the third quarter before a Missy Peterson turnaround jumper keyed a 9-2 UW run as the Huskies made it a 44-38 game at the four-minute mark. But Utah would get back-to-back three pointers to go back up 12 at the 3:28 mark—the second of which came after Melgoza fell to the ground with an injury on the other end. After a four-point play by Utah, the Huskies came alive, closing out the quarter on an 8-0 run capped by a jumper from Darcy Rees to make it a 54-50 after three.

Utah hit a quick three to open the quarter to quickly stretch the lead back to seven. Melgoza hit a pair of free throws to make it a five-point game again, but Utah rattled off an 8-2 run to push its lead to 65-54 with 6:04 to play. Miller scored on an impressive low-post move followed by a defensive stop and Van Dyke three to pull the Huskies back within six with 4:59 to go. But that would be as close as the Huskies could get despite forcing a few Utah turnovers over the final two minutes.

Washington returns to action on Sunday, hosting Colorado in a Pac-12 showdown at Noon at Alaska Airlines Arena.