SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah women's basketball team fell to No. 12 Utah Utes 90-56 on Thursday Dec. 22. The Thunderbirds drop to 4-7 overall with the loss.

T-Bird Tidbits

Cherita Daugherty powered the Thunderbirds offense, scoring 19 points on a remarkable 54 percent from the field. Megan Jensen (16) and Daylani Ballena (9) also provided significant offense for SUU.

Lizzy Williamson led Southern Utah with 10 rebounds, while Daugherty contributed five.

First Half

Southern Utah came out strong to begin the contest. Williamson connected with Daugherty for a layup on the first play of the game, followed by a pair of three pointers by Ballena to put SUU ahead 8-4. The Utes would respond with a run to place themselves ahead by eight. Jensen caught fire for the Thunderbirds in the final minutes of the quarter, hitting four consecutive field goals.

Jensen continued to pour in the points with a pair of buckets in the second period. The Thunderbirds trailed 41-28 at the half.

Second Half

Jensen and Daugherty combined for ten points in the third quarter. Williamson added a couple of buckets as well to help the 'Birds attack.

Daugherty found her stride in the final period, connecting on a trio of mid-range jumpers and a layup. Alexa Lord chipped in four points as well, but in the end it wasn't enough, as Utah would walk away with a 90-56 victory.

Up Next

Southern Utah will begin conference play next Thursday against in-state rival Utah Tech. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. MT.

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