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Thorburn's 28 Points Leads Utah Over New Mexico, 75-62
Senior scores season-high; Smith reaches 2,000-point plateau.
Feb. 4, 2006 SALT LAKE CITY - University of Utah senior Shona Thorburn (Hamilton, Ont.) scored a season-high 28 points against New Mexico Saturday afternoon. Thorburn and fellow senior Kim Smith (Mission, B.C.) led the Utes to a 75-62 win over the Lobos at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Thorburn hit 10-of-15 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-5 three-pointers. She also hit 5-of-6 at the line, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists. Smith recorded her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and matching her career-high with 16 rebounds. Smith hit a step-back jumper from the free-throw line with 4:35 remaining in the contest. Not only did the bucket give Utah a 58-54 lead, but it put her over the 2,000-point plateau for her career. Smith became the third Utah woman to reach the milestone and just the sixth Ute (man or woman) to accomplish the feat. She now has 2,005 points in her Utah career. Utah led for most of the first 30 minutes of the contest. The Utes had a 48-42 lead midway though the second half. But New Mexico put together an 8-0 run to take a 50-48 lead with 9:24 remaining. Katie Montgomery sparked the spurt with a three-pointer, followed by five straight points from Dionne Marsh. The lead changed hands three times over the next three minutes. Utah senior Julie Larsen (Logan, Utah) hit a three-pointer with 6:21 remaining to give Utah a 54-52 lead. The Utes never trailed again. But New Mexico stayed close. With 3:04 left, the Lobos' Jana Francis hit a jumper in the paint to pull her team within two, 62-60. Larsen answered with a layup to make it 64-60. Francis missed a pair of free throws for New Mexico at the other end. Thorburn scored on a drive down the lane with 2:09 to go, giving Utah a 66-60 edge. Marsh then hit a pair of free throws to pull New Mexico within four, 66-62. But Marsh fouled Larsen on a three-point attempt at the other end. Larsen hit all three from the charity stripe and Utah led by seven, 69-62 with 1:36 to play.
Utah held New Mexico scoreless over the final 1:57 to ice the victory. The Utes hit seven consecutive free throws and Thorburn added a layup in the final 1:36 to account for the final margin. Utah snapped a six-game losing streak to New Mexico and moved into a tie for second place in the Mountain West Conference with the victory. Thorburn's 28 points led all scorers in the contest. Smith's 16 rebounds were also game-high. Sophomore Jessica Perry (Guelph, Ont.) scored 13 points, including eight of Utah's first 11 points. Marsh led New Mexico with 19 points, while Montgomery added 15, including 3-of-3 from behind the arc. Utah is back in action again Wednesday night in Provo, Utah. The Utes will visit league-leading BYU in a 7 p.m. tipoff. -UU- |
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