SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's basketball defeated in-state rival Utah Valley 100-52 Saturday evening in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
 
"We shot the ball great today. We do have players who can shoot it, and you saw that today," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "The first two games, we didn't shoot the ball well and it's one of those things where I wasn't worried about it. Shooters have to shoot their way out of it, and we've got players who can really shoot. We shot the ball great. I think the reason we shot the ball so well is we passed the ball well. We had 30 assists on 38 made baskets, that's going to be tough to beat us when we pass the ball and shoot the ball like that."
 
Utah's (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) bench tallied more than half of the team's points with 53. Junior wing Daneesha Provo lead the Utes with 18 points while pulling down six rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Junior guard Tilar Clark saw her first action as a Ute scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds with two blocked shots. Freshman guard Kiana Moore saw her best offensive game of the season with 15 points including three 3-pointers.
 
Utah Valley (0-3, 0-0 WAC) took a 6-0 lead to open the game, but the Utes didn't take long to recover. Utah took a 9-8 lead after senior wing Paige Crozon knocked down a 3-pointer on an assists from junior wing Tanaeya Boclair. Utah shot 47.4 percent from the floor for a 23-19 lead after the first quarter.
 
The Utes' defense held the Wolverines to 25 percent shooting from the floor allowing just four field goals. Utah completed the half shooting 51.6 percent from the floor for a 15-point lead heading into the half, 45-30.
 
Utah continued with an offensive serge opening the second half with a 10-0 run. Provo pulled up for a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Utes a 30-point lead over the Wolverines. Provo hit another 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter for a 73-40 margin.
 
Utah's 27 fourth quarter points all came from the bench as the Utes hit triple digits on another 3-pointer from Provo to take the 100-52 win.
 
"This week we focused on us and we certainly prepared the team, we had a scout, we knew what they were going to do, but really I wanted us to focus on us and at this point in the season you kind of have to do that," head coach Lynne Roberts said about her team's effort. "I think it was a good step for us in the right direction, and now we have some tough games on the road, we play two really good teams, UNC Charlotte, who's very good, very athletic, top 50 team, and then we play St. Mary's College, top 50, very good."
 
The Utes head to Moraga, Calif. for the Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic to take on UNC Charlotte Friday at 1 p.m. and St. Mary's Saturday at 3 p.m.