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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah head coach Lynne Roberts sat courtside as Princeton's Grace Stone drained a corner 3-pointer for the go-ahead score that turned out to be the game-winning shot to upset NC State on Friday.
The Tigers erased an 8-point Wolfpack lead with an aggressive and quick defense, and then made up the ground on the offensive end over a five minute period that culminated with Stone's shot that even got Roberts looking stunned by the moment. It was a firsthand embodiment of the madness that can take place in March, where any team can reasonably win.
Stone's shot knocked out a higher-seeded opponent for the Utes in the second round of the tournament, but seeing a No. 10 next to Princeton's name only tells half the story. And while on paper it appears the Utes have an easier shot to reach their third Sweet 16 in school history, it's not a time to get complacent.
Utah has worked tirelessly — it lost only three games during the regular season and claimed a share of the Pac-12 title — to not see the Sweet 16 round and have its dream spoiled.
"This is the game 364 days ago we lost the chance to go to the Sweet 16, and we have been motivated to get here," Roberts said. "So our players are fired up, and our staff is fired up knowing the challenge that it will be. Princeton is very good, incredibly well coached."
That chance to play the second weekend in Greenville, South Carolina, is what collegiate athletes dream about; and to be so close and not obtain that is unthinkable. While the benefit of advancing to that coveted round of the NCAA Tournament is enticing (and distracting for some), it can't be the main focus for Utah, according to the players.
"I think we are all really excited for the opportunity," sophomore Gianna Kneepkens said on Saturday. "I think that if we lock in and focus, we could do that, but right now, we have to just focus on doing the right things and playing the right way tomorrow so we can achieve that goal. But, yeah, this whole month of March is just such an exciting and fun time for competitors."
"To add to that, it has been our goal since the summer when we all came back was to make it to the Sweet 16 and fill in that empty circle in our gym," Kennady McQueen added. "To have the chance and be one win away from that is a huge deal. We are definitely going to take advantage of it. We will be ready."
In Utah's opening game of the tournament against 15th-seeded Gardner-Webb, it wasn't a perfect affair coming off a two-week break, but the Utes still managed to score 103 points and easily beat the Bulldogs after a motivated fourth quarter effort.
Utah had no problem with its offense and easily scored the most points of the first round of the tournament by 8 points — and that's with the team only making seven 3-pointers on a relatively quiet night from behind the arc — but the Utes learned last season in its second-round exit to Texas that offense can't be the only focus of the team.
"Last year, I think we finished eighth in the country in offensive efficiency; we were like 240 in defense," Roberts said. "We talked about it in the summer. If we want to take the next step and win this game tomorrow and beyond, we have to get better defensively. Offensively, we are good enough, but defensively we are not."
This year's Utah team has a better and more complete offense to contend with anyone in the country, but Roberts and her players credit an improved defense that has allowed the team to have as much success as it has this season. But it's not time to rest on your laurels just yet; Utah still has work to do.
"What kind of ended our run in March came down to the defensive end," McQueen said, speaking about last season. "Everyone knows how good we are on offense, but if we can't get stops, it doesn't matter how good you are on offense. So that's just been a key the whole past offseason and all of this season. It's just getting better on defense.
"The teams that make a great run in March are known for their defense as well as their offense. You can't play one side. We know the importance of that. So I think that's what helped us be more successful this year is everyone is way more focused on defense, as well. Stopping the other team from scoring and being able to score the ball like we do, that's the perfect recipe for success."
Princeton, who is riding a 16-game win streak, will give Utah everything its got as the two teams compete for a spot in the Sweet 16, especially on the defensive side of the ball where it holds opponents to 37.5% shooting from the field and an average of 52.8 points per game.
Utah, though, can look to its ability to beat Stanford, which holds opponents to 32.9% shooting, as a reason to feel comfortable with the matchup ... but only as far as comfort doesn't impede a chance to get to the Sweet 16.
