This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Denied a chance this season to see the men's basketball teams play each other, hardwood fans of Utah and BYU had to place all their hoops bragging in one basket.

That was the meeting between the women's teams Saturday night at the Huntsman Center.

And it was the Utes faithful who went home happy after a 77-60 win over the visiting Cougars.

"One basket just kind of turned into another," Utah senior Paige Crozon said.

Although BYU (5-4) led after one quarter, it was three-point shooting by Malia Nawahine, Tanaeya Boclair and Crozon — along with a healthy dose of inside scoring by 6-foot-6 Emily Potter — that helped Utah (9-0) come from behind and remain unbeaten.

The third period proved to be decisive. Leading by three points at halftime, the Utes outscored the Cougars 27-7 in the third period and held a commanding 60-37 advantage going into the fourth.

"They just wanted it more than us — especially that third quarter," BYU coach Jeff Judkins said.

Potter led Utah with 21 points, while Nawahine (16 points), Boclair (15) and Crozon (13) also scored in double figures.

BYU was paced by Cassie Broadhead, who scored 22, while Kalani Purcell had 15. Utah coach Lynne Roberts noted that Cougars' senior guard Makenzi Pulsipher, who had seven points, was only 1-for-11 from three-point range.

"I wouldn't want Malia to guard me for one minute, much less than 40," said Roberts of Nawahine's defensive effort on Pulsipher.

Judkins' take was a little bit different on the Cougars' shooting woes.

"We come out in the third quarter and Makenzi misses three wide-open shots. Kalani gets fouled and misses a foul shot, then we miss a layup," he said. "You can't do that against any good team."

"Teams every year are different and as a coach you try to figure it out," he added. "I had two girls (in 2015-16) who were really tough, Kylie (Maeda) and Lexi (Rydalch). They did a lot of it, now these guys are going to have to step it up."

BYU started the game stronger and scored 10 straight points at one point during the first quarter. That's when Nawahine stroked a pair of long three-pointers. The Utes' junior later hit another trey as part of an 11-3 Utes' run. BYU tried to take away the Utes' 3-point threat, which freed up Potter to exploit the Cougars' interior defense. She scored 14 of her points in the third quarter.

"That got us going," Roberts said of Nawahine's long-distance bombs. "That got the nerves out. BYU came to play and they're very, very good. But it took the pressure off a little when she hit those threes." —

Utah 77, BYU 60

R Utah outscored BYU 27-7 in the third quarter with senior center Emily Potter tallying 14 of those points.

• Potter paced the unbeaten Utes with 21 while Malia Nawahine scored 16. Utah guard Erika Bean had seven assists and also snuck under the boards for seven rebounds.

• BYU was paced by Cassie Broadhead's 22 points while senior Kalani Purcell had 15.