Utah Utes women's basketball: Utes looking for fifth consecutive win over Wyoming

SALT LAKE CITY The Utah women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Huntsman Center tonight to meet the Wyoming Cowgirls in a battle of middle-of-the-pack Mountain West Conference teams.

Utah (11-7, 2-3 MWC) is coming off a road split after winning at Air Force and losing in San Diego. The Utes are 7th overall in the conference but a win over 4th place Wyoming (12-5, 3-2 MWC) would vault them into a tie with the Cowgirls.

Kalee Whipple leads the Utes in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game. Taryn Wicijowski is not far behind with 14.4 points and also contributes 7.1 rebounds per game.

Defending the perimeter is a must for the Utes as Wyoming leads the league in three-point field goal percentage a .391. Aubrey Vandiver is a tough scorer and rebounder for the Cowgirls Vandiver averages 14.5 points and 9.5 boards per game.

Wyoming head coach Joe Legerski was a Utah assistant coach and associate head coach between 1992 and 2003. Legerski has lost to Utah in the last four meetings between the two teams and, after a bye week, the Utes can expect him to be well prepared.

Utah's offense, scoring in the 40's in four of their last five games, must start clicking if the Utes expect to beat the Cowgirls. Their defense has been superb, ranking high nationally in several categories; but to win against Wyoming, scoring in the 40's won't cut it.

Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.

e-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com