Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
TUCSON, Ariz. — It was Lani White's world, and everybody was living in it.
The veteran guard used an 11-point second quarter to help Utah outscore Arizona 24-4 in the quarter en route to a 39-23 halftime lead. Midway through the quarter, White had more points (20) than Arizona had as a team (19) before the Wildcats made their first basket with 3:10 left in second frame.
The senior even went full Superman in the quarter when she went airborne over the ESPN announcers as she deflected a pass. But none of that could stop White in a standout performance.
White went on to finish the game with a career-tying 26 points, and Utah held on to beat Arizona 63-62 in the first conference game of the season for the two schools.
Though Utah (10-3, 1-0 Big 12) eked out a win, the team did so with a disjointed second-half effort, in which the team had nine missed layup and finished the game with four turnovers.
Utah controlled an 18-point lead, but Arizona (9-3, 0-1 Big 12) came out of the halftime break with a more inspired effort, using a tough defense to force Utah into poor shots and then converting on offense to outscore Utah 39-24 in the second half.
With 31.4 seconds left in the game, Arizona made three free throws to make it a 4-point game, and then followed the effort with a corner 3-pointer on an inbounded pass with 9.7 seconds left to play to make it a 1-point game.
Arizona quickly fouled Utah guard LA Sneed after a short timeout, and the freshman guard missed both to give the Wildcats a chance at a win.
With 8.4 seconds left to play, Arizona attempted a driving layup, but Sneed got her hand on the ball, forcing a held-ball call that gave the Wildcats one more chance with 1.6 seconds left to play. The ensuing inbounds pass and shot under the rim never had a chance off Utah's defensive pressure, sealing a tight win to open conference play.
Chyra Evans and Reese Ross each contributed 10 points in the win, with Ross accounting for 14 rebounds in a game where Utah outrebounded Arizona 45-31 but shot 39% from the floor.
Arizona had four players finish in double figures, with Mickayla Perdue topping the stat sheet with 16 points and two rebounds. Guard Noelani Cornfield finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 assists, and was a thorn in Utah's side defensively.
The two teams traded baskets to start the game, with neither side able to get much of an advantage until Arizona locked in on defense and then went on a 7-0 run amid a Utah three minute scoring drought to end the quarter.
Arizona controlled a 4-point lead going into the second quarter, but it was the closest the home team got to keeping the game close in the first half before a much-improve effort in the second half.
Utah finished the day shooting 50% from the free-throw line on 12 attempts, while only converting five 3-pointers on 21 attempts in a rare showing for a team that thrives on deep looks.
