Weber State women’s basketball: Turnovers lead WSU to 56-55 loss at Utah Valley
The official opener of the Jenteal Jackson era began with promise but fell apart under the weight of turnovers as Weber State women’s basketball fell 56-55 on Tuesday night at Utah Valley.
Trying to overcome Utah Valley’s pressure and stem the tide of live-ball turnovers, WSU junior guard Kendra Parra went coast to coast in transition for a three-point play to tie the game 52-52 with 2:13 left.
After a stop, however, Parra passed up space for an open elbow jumper and instead tried to squeeze a pass to a cutting Kennedy Eskelson. That was stolen by UVU’s Kylee Mabry — the Davis High alum’s seventh steal of the contest in just 15 minutes — and led to a Tahlia White transition layup to put the Wolverines back in the lead.
Trailing 54-52, Parra knocked down a 3-pointer for the lead with 23 seconds left after WSU scrambled for an offensive rebound, but it was wiped away — the top referee ruled Parra traveled during the pump fake and dribble that set up her shot.
Two UVU free throws made it a four-point game, and Parra banked in a 3 at the buzzer for the final 56-55 score.
Weber State led the game for 24 minutes to UVU’s nine but finished by committing 27 turnovers, with 17 in the second half. Twenty of those were Utah Valley steals, often when WSU players unsuccessfully threw passes out of a zone-trap double team.
Those 20 steals are Utah Valley’s single-game record against a Division-I opponent.
WSU’s turnovers negated its 44-21 rebounding advantage, which included a 14-5 mark on the offensive boards.
Parra led Weber State (0-1) with 13 points and grabbed five rebounds. Senior forward Jadyn Matthews totaled 12 points and eight rebounds; she scored nine points in the first four minutes of the game to put WSU up 11-4. Sophomore center Amelia Raidaveta totaled eight points, and senior forward Daryn Hickok grabbed nine rebounds.
Weber State assisted on all of its first 11 field goals going into the first minute of the second half, but only made five more field goals for the next 19 minutes before the bank at the buzzer.
For Utah Valley (1-0), Ally Criddle scored 12 points, Kaylee Byon 11 and Liana Kaitu’u totaled 10.
Weber State next plays at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, at BYU.