Utah Utes and BYU women's basketball: Undefeated Utes start over with new challenge: Win tournament

Utah's unblemished run through league play is one thing, duplicating it in the Mountain West Conference tournament is quite another — or so history says.

No women's team has ever one won the conference's automatic NCAA berth, which is awarded to the postseason tourney champion, with fewer than two losses to league foes. New Mexico set the standard by going 15-2 against the MWC in consecutive years while winning titles in 2004 and 2005.

Top seeds have not fared well. Only Utah (2000) and those two Lobo teams managed to win the conference tournament as well. Utah's undefeated team in 2004 got knocked off by BYU in the 2001 semifinals.

"There's a lot of energy expended to be good for two months. It's not easy to do it again," said Utah coach Elaine Elliott, who noted that it's a difficult task to play any team three times in the same season. "I don't think it's unusual that you've seen that. It will be a big challenge for us to get that championship. But that's OK. We'll take it on."

The 15th-ranked Utes (27-3, 16-0) are poised to make history. They're taking a 22-game winning streak to Las Vegas.

Even so, Elliott considers the tournament somewhat "wide open." History proves it.

"There's no way you can have a favorite," she said. "It's a huge challenge to get that thing as well as what we've done. Maybe we can be that special. Who knows."

What Elliott does know, however, is that she isn't a big fan of the tournament carrying more weight than the regular season.

"It doesn't benefit your top teams. It never has. I haven't changed my position on thought when we were fifth, either," said Elliott, who acknowledged the annual gathering is fun, fans like it and there's a festive atmosphere to it. "It is what it is. Don't fight it. Lets just go accept the challenge."

A look at this year's MWC tournament field:

No. 1 UTAH (27-3, 16-0)

Player to watch: Senior point guard Leilani Mitchell has brought the Utes back into national prominence. All-American candidate is conference leader in assists and among the scoring leaders.

Best win: Utah established itself as the team to beat in the MWC with a 60-59 win at No. 15 Wyoming on Jan. 30. The Utes enter this week's tournament with a team-record 22 consecutive victories.