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Morgan Warburton has scored in double figures in both of Utah's MWC games this season. (Photo by George Seeley)
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Jan. 9, 2006
Game #14
University of Utah (9-4, 0-2) at San Diego State (3-9, 0-2)
7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006 - Cox Arena (12,414)
San Diego, Calif.
Radio: None
TV: None
Audio Stream - www.UtahUtes.com
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Utes Look for First MWC Win in San Diego
The University of Utah women's basketball team is in unfamiliar territory this week. The Mountain West Conference season is a week old and the Utes are still looking for their first victory.
Utah has never started 0-2 in the seven years of play in the Mountain West Conference. The Utes will look to pick up that first conference victory on Wednesday, when they travel to San Diego to face the San Diego State Aztecs.
SDSU is also in search of its first league win. The Aztecs dropped a three-point decision, 68-65, at Colorado State in their MWC opener. SDSU then fell at home to Air Force, 63-59, in an overtime contest.
Utah leads the series with San Diego State by a 22-10 count. The Utes have won 15 straight over the Aztecs. SDSU's last victory in the series came all the way back in 1997, when the Aztecs defeated Utah 56-50 in the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas.
Michelle Strawberry leads the Aztecs in both scoring and rebounding. She averages 15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Beth Burns is in her first season coaching SDSU.
Utah Fast Breaks
• Utah opened Mountain West Conference play 0-2 for the first time in the seven-year existence of the league.
• The Utes' loss to BYU was its first to the Cougars since the 2002-03 season.
• Utah has won 15 straight over San Diego State. The last time the Utes lost to the Aztecs was March 8, 1997. That loss was a 56-50 decision during the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas.
• Utah leads the all-time series with San Diego State 22-10.
• San Diego State hasn't beaten Utah in San Diego since 1995.
Dialing Long Distance
Utah averages more three-pointers per game than any other team in the Mountain West Conference. Through their first 13 games, the Utes are hitting 7.5 shots per game from behind the arc. The Utes ranked No. 9 in the nation in three-pointers per contest in the latest report. Utah's three-point percentage is in the middle of the MWC pack. The Utes rank No. 5 in the conference, hitting at a .327 clip.
Last year, Utah was one of the more prolific three-point shooting teams in the nation. The 2004-05 squad made nearly seven (6.9) treys per game, ranking No. 15 in the nation in three-pointers made per game. That number was good enough to rank second in the MWC, just behind Wyoming's mark of 7.14.
Helping Hands
Utah is certainly not adverse to sharing the ball. The Utes are the top team in the Mountain West Conference in assists.
Utah averages 15.15 assists per game, just slightly ahead of the 15.08 average for UNLV and Colorado State. Good ball movement has been a key to the Utah offense this season. The Utes have recorded helpers on 197 of their 300 made field goals. That means a Ute has been the beneficiary of a good pass from one of her teammates on 66 percent of all the team's field goals.
Utah also led the MWC in assists last season, averaging 16.15 per contest.
-UU-
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