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SALT LAKE CITY — Nine games into the season and the Utes have proven game after game they can score the rock; and not just one particular player, but the entire team.
As of Saturday, Utah was ranked first in the nation for 3-point field goals made per game (12.1), third in scoring offense (88.7), third in assists per game (20.1) and fourth in assist to turnover ratio (1.51), according to the NCAA official stats.
Of the nine games played, the Utes have managed to cross the century mark on three different occasions in wins over Lipscomb, Xavier and Cal State Fullerton. They have also scored in the nineties twice.
Being an elite offensive team comes with a sacrifice, and often that is giving up a good shot for yourself and creating a great one for your teammate.
"It's not like one person takes over the game. … I think that's what has made us good this year is we're all willing to share the ball," senior guard Dru Gylten said. "Every game it's someone different who's the leading scorer, or it's someone different who makes those big shots."
In the first game of the season, that player was Brynna Maxwell, who scored 24 points in her first outing of the season. The following game, the hot hand was Jenna Johnson, who put up 21 points and is averaging a team-high 13.8 points per game. Or it could be Kennday McQueen or Gianna Kneepkens, who have both led the team in scoring.
Maxwell believes the depth and versatility of scoring threats the Utes have is what makes the team more dangerous than they have been in past years.
"I think it's what makes this team so different and so dangerous compared to previous seasons is that everyone on the floor can shoot and everyone's a scorer," Maxwell said. You can't just not guard someone, you have to play everyone honest."
There's two options in ways to score and put up big numbers like the Utes have every game in preseason: playing isolation ball and creating for yourself or playing team ball and creating for others.
Head coach Lynne Roberts and her team have chosen the latter, and it's shown on every stat sheet with the number of assists they get each game.
What has impressed the seventh-year head coach is the selfless play of her team and of every player that checks into the game.
"We are looking to create for other people and not be selfish," Roberts said.
In the 7-2 start to the season, 63.9% of Utah's made shots have come off an assist. Three times the Utes have racked up 25 assists and have been above 20 in three other games.
The Utes have two out-of-conference games remaining before they start their Pac-12 schedule, which currently has three teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and two teams receiving votes. They have barely struggled in their nonconference games, falling only to the top West Coast Conference teams, BYU and Gonzaga.
Oklahoma is the only Power Five team Utah scheduled in the preseason, and it will be their greatest test to see where they measure up before traveling to Oregon for their first conference game.
In games the Utes are expected to win, they aren't just winning, they are winning by substantial margins. For Roberts, she said nonconference play is about gaining confidence, especially with the young team she has, and finding an identity.
"Nonconference is about identity and figuring out who you are and gaining some confidence in that, which we're doing," Roberts said. "… We can see where we're effective, see what we need to work on, get everybody a chance to play a lot of minutes which is really good for the health."
