OPENING TIP

• Utah Valley University makes the short trip to Salt Lake City to take on the University of Utah on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MT in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will air on the Utah live stream on Pac-12.com.
• Saturday's contest is No. 3 in a stretch of seven straight games away from home for the Wolverines (5-4). It's also the team's second and final non-conference in-state opponent and the lone time UVU will face a Pac 12 program this season.
• Josie Williams leads the team with averages of 16.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game and has collected six double-doubles so far this season. Her current rebounding average would rank second all-time at UVU in a single-season behind Sam Jensen's 14.1 boards per game in 2012-13, which was second in the country. Williams also leads the WAC and is seventh nationally in rebounds per game.
   

LAST TIME OUT
Last week, Utah Valley split its Montana trip, winning at Montana, 63-50, before falling to Montana State, 67-58. Williams averaged 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games. She had 19 points and 13 rebounds in the win over the Lady Griz and followed that up with a season-high 22 against the Bobcats.

Against Montana, UVU went on a 13-2 run to begin the fourth quarter en route to the program's first win in Missoula. In the game, Williams surpassed 500 career rebounds to become the seventh player in program history to do so. In the loss at MSU, the Bobcats used a 9-0 run in the fourth to increase a lead that was just two points after three quarters.

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Utah is 7-2 and ranked 16th in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Thursday. The Utes are coming off of a 100-45 win over Cal State Fullerton last Friday. They made 15 3-pointers in the game and currently are second nationally at 12.1 makes per game while also 12th in 3-point percentage at 38.7. Utah is also ranked third in the country in scoring offense, averaging 88.7 points per game. Jenna Johnson and Brynna Maxwell are both scoring 13.8 per contest to lead the Utes. UVU is 0-7 all-time against Utah, with six of those games coming in Salt Lake City.

COMING UP
The Wolverines will head to Pocatello for the final pre-Christmas contest at Idaho State on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. It's also the final non-conference game of the season with WAC play beginning Dec. 30 at Abilene Christian.