Utah Women’s Basketball Team Prepares for NCAA Tournament
The Utah women’s basketball team has established a successful style of play characterized by ball movement, seeking high-quality shot opportunities, and effective three-point shooting, which has helped them secure a place in the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive years.
This Friday, the Utes will kick off the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a first-round game against Indiana at 11:30 a.m. MDT, to be broadcast on ESPN2, at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. They are aiming to win their first-round matchup for the fourth straight year.
To achieve this goal, the Utes will need to rediscover their signature “Utah basketball magic.”
In their last five games, where they hold a record of 2-3, Utah has struggled, shooting below 30% from three-point range four times and under 40% from the field in their last three outings. Such performance will be challenging against an Indiana team that is also accustomed to offensive success and is making its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
“I think they’re very physical overall,” noted Utah forward Maye Toure in a pre-game press conference. “We just need to stay focused and play Utah basketball, and we’ll be just fine.”
NCAA Women’s Tournament First Round Details
No. 8 seed Utah (22-8) vs. No. 9 seed Indiana (19-12)
Friday, 11:30 a.m. MDT
Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 700 AM
The match will feature two talented guards leading their teams: Utah’s Gianna Kneepkens and Indiana’s Yarden Garzon. Kneepkens averages 19.2 points per game and excels in three-point shooting at 45%, ranking ninth nationally. Garzon follows closely, scoring 14.5 points per game and hitting 41.5% of her three-point attempts, which places her 25th in the country.
Utah’s recent performance includes an 11-point loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 tournament, where they shot just 39.3% overall and failed to capitalize on three-pointers. However, the Utes remain confident they can overcome this slump and are ready for Friday’s challenge.
