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Morgan Warburton scored 20 points in helping Utah top UNLV
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Jan. 13, 2007
LAS VEGAS - The University of Utah women's basketball team put a grand total of 11 points on the scoreboard in the first half of its game with UNLV Saturday afternoon at Cox Pavilion. But the Utes responded with a strong effort in the second half, pulling away for a 49-37 win over the Lady Rebels.
Morgan Warbuton (Soph., Helper, Utah) scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the second half. Her second-straight 20-point effort helped Utah (11-6, 4-0 MWC) erase a nine-point deficit early in the second half. Utah trailed 18-11 at halftime, as UNLV didn't fare much better than the Utes on offense in the first half. The teams combined to make only 10-of-51 field-goal attempts in the first period, a rate of just 19.6 percent.
The Lady Rebels' Latosha Pace scored off an offensive rebound 20 seconds into the second half to put UNLV (8-8, 2-2 MWC) on top 20-11. But it was all Utah from there.
Warburton hit a jumper 20 seconds later, sparking a 13-0 Utah run. She scored seven of the 13 points in the outburst. Warburton's three-pointer with 15:47 remaining in the game was the first of the contest for Utah. It also gave the Utes their first lead since a 5-4 advantage in the first half. A pair of Marie Warner (Jr., Hamilton, Ont.) free throws capped the spurt and left Utah with a 24-20 lead and 14:42 remaining in the contest.
A lone free throw from UNLV's Kisha Lee stopped Utah's scoring streak, but only briefly. Heidi Carlsen (Sr., St. George, Utah) and Warner then hit back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Utes a nine-point lead, 30-21. The Utes led by seven, 36-29, with 4:14 remaining when Warburton gave Utah its first double-digit lead. She grabbed her own miss, scored it off the glass and drew a foul. The free throw completed a traditional three-point play and Utah led 39-29.
Utah led by 15 after going five-of-six at the line over the next two minutes. Shamela Hampton pulled UNLV within 13 with two minutes left. But Jessica Perry (Jr., Guelph, Ont.) ended any hopes of a Lady Rebel comeback with a three-pointer in the right corner at the 1:29 mark, giving Utah a 47-31 advantage. The Utes cruised to the 12-point win from there.
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Utah is back in action again Thursday, hosting TCU at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
