Behind Schlott’s career-high 37, Utah State women’s basketball stops Utah, 77-61, Tuesday

LOGAN, Utah – Senior guard Jennifer Schlott scored a career-high 37 points as the Utah State women’s basketball team earned only its third-ever win against the University of Utah Tuesday at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, 77-61.

The win was the Aggies’ first since the opening of the 2009-10 season when USU captured a 67-58 win in Logan. USU only other win against Utah came in 1974, 69-58, which was also in Logan. The Aggies are now 31-3 all-time against the Utes.

This was the Aggies first win against a Pac-12 team since defeating Arizona in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in 2011. With the win, USU improves to 3-0 for the first time since the 1978-79 season when the Aggies began the season 5-0. Utah falls to 1-2 with the loss.

Besides Schlott’s career-high 37 points, sophomore guard Makenlee Williams added 17 points. Junior forward Franny Vaaulu added eight points, while junior guard/forward Ingrida Strikas scored nine points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Elise Nelson helped the Aggies out-rebound the lanky Utes with a career-high 10 boards. For the game, USU had 41 rebounds compared to 36 by Utah.

USU also had a season-low six turnovers to along with eight steals.

Utah was led by 15 points from Cheyenne Wilson who was 5-for-9 from three, including 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the first half. Michelle Plouffe had the game’s only double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Utah had the hot hand early on making five of its first eight to jump out to a 14-7 lead before a Strikas jumper cut the lead to 14-9.

After a Ute turnover, Schlott ran the length of the court for a fast break layup. Strikas followed with a jumper to tie the score at 25-25 with eight minutes left in the half. Utah State took its first lead of the game after a lay up from Vaaulu to take the 29-28 advantage with 4:10 on the clock in the first half.

Utah scored seven-straight to re-take the lead 36-28 before a Williams trey stopped the run to cut the lead to 36-32. The Aggies entered the locker room trailing for the first time this season, 37-32.

Schlott and Utah’s Wilson led all first-half scorers with 12 points. Williams added 10 points for the Aggies. Nelson did not score in the half but had a game-high nine rebounds.

Turner came up big with a three to tie the scorer at 46-46 as the Aggie defense continue to remain pesky. USU re-took the lead for only the second time after a pair of Schlott free throws, 48-46. Back-to-back baskets by Schlott gave USU its biggest lead to that point 52-49 half-way through the second half.

The Utes took its biggest lead of the second half, six points, after a three pointer from Ciera Dunbar. From that points, USU chiseled away at the Utah lead, tying the score, 46-46, after a three from senior guard Cristal Turner. Once USU took the lead, 48-46, on a pair of Schloot free throws, it did not relinquish it again.

Williams added her third trey of the game to push the Aggie lead to 65-53, which was then followed by a bucket by Vaaulu to give Utah State the 67-53 lead. The Vaaulu bucket capped a 14-0 run by Utah State.

USU’s biggest lead of the game was 18 points when the score was 75-57. The Aggies ended the game with 39 points in the paint compared to 20 by Utah. USU also had 11 fast-break points.

For the game, Utah State shot 44.6 percent from the field (29-of-65), including 57.7 percent in the second half. The Aggies were 7-of-16 from beyond the arc which was good for 43.8 percent, while shooting 70.6 percent from the charity stripe (12-of-17).

Utah shot 39.7 percent from the field (23-of-58) and 33.3 percent from three (8-of-24). The Utes shot 58.3 percent from the free throw line (7-of-12).

Utah State is back in action this week against border-foe Idaho State on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

All USU home games are streamed on the Aggie Digital Network in conjunction with the Mountain West Digital Network. Fans can watch the streaming by going http://www.utahstateaggies.com/videos/.

Fans can follow USU women’s basketball at www.twitter.com/UtahStateWBB, as well as on facebook, at www.facebook.com/USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at facebook, at www.facebook.com/USUAthletics. Utah State women’s basketball is now also on instagram at www.instagram.com/USUWbasketball.

Aggie women’s basketball tickets will be available by contacting the USU Athletics Ticket Office at (435) 797-0305 or at 1-888-U-STATE-1 (1-888-878-2831) for more information or visit the Utah State athletics web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com.

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Posted in USU