Frosh lead Ute women past Washington 72-63 in Pac 12 opener

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Freshmen Brynna Maxwell and Lola Pendande scored 17 points apiece, combining for 25 in the second half, to lead eighth-seeded Utah to a 72-63 win over ninth-seeded Washington on Thursday in a first-round game of the Pac-12 Conference tournament.

Maxwell scored 11 points in the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers, as the Utes turned a six-point halftime deficit into a 52-48 lead. Two of the 3-pointers came in a 14-0 run that pushed the lead to nine. She finished with five 3-pointers, moving her into fifth on the Utes list for a single season with a freshman record 80.

Pendande scored six-straight points for Utah down the stretch to make sure the Huskies never got within one possession.

Utah (14-16) plays top-seeded and third-ranked Oregon in the second quarterfinal on Friday.

Amber Melgoza scored 30 points for the Huskies (13-17), her fourth game with at least 30 points this season. She had 13 in the second quarter when Washington outscored Utah 19-9 to take the halftime lead. She finished her career with 1,717 points, eighth on UW’s all-time list.

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