The No. 16-ranked Utah women's basketball team upset No. 2 UCLA with a 94-81 win in overtime on Monday night. The Utes' victory was marked by impressive performances from Kennady McQueen, Dasia Young and Matyson Wilke, who collectively filled the void left by an off-night from star player Alissa Pili.

McQueen led the charge with a season-high 21 points. Young and Wilke each added 16 points, primarily through 3-point shooting, despite Pili's struggle with only 16 points on four-of-15 shooting. Utah's victory, moving them to 14-5 and 4-3 in the Pac-12, was a breakthrough against a highly-ranked opponent, reflecting a growing determination within the team. Coach Lynne Roberts emphasized the team's frustration with previous shortcomings

“We were sick of coming up short. So we have a bit of an attitude,” Roberts said, per the Associated Press. Utah previously suffered losses against five ranked teams, but they achieved a breakthrough in their recent two games, securing victories against top 10 teams Southern California and UCLA.

Wilke highlighted Pili's selflessness, noting her willingness to pass the ball and prioritize the team's success over personal stats.

“(Pili) doesn’t care how many points she scores. She wasn't mad … and wasn’t telling us, ‘Guys, I need the ball.’ She kept passing it when when we were open and it just shows we love each other and we’re gonna do anything we can to win,” Wilke said.

For UCLA, Gabriela Jaquez scored 21 points. However, the Bruins' efforts fell short in overtime, being outscored 22-9. UCLA coach Cori Close lamented on their inability to close out the game.

“We showed a lot of guts to put us in a position to where I thought we should have won the game. We got to close that out,” UCLA coach Cori Close said.

The turning point came in overtime when Pili, despite her earlier struggles, made crucial plays to extend Utah's lead. Additionally, Ines Vieira's critical layup sent the game into overtime.

The Bruins faced challenges in both offense and defense, struggling to contain Utah and failing to leverage their height advantage effectively. In contrast, Utah's strategy of mixing interior shots with 3-pointers paid off, especially with their 13 of 28 shooting from beyond the arc.

Both teams are now preparing for their next games on Friday, with UCLA hosting Washington and Utah women's basketball visiting Oregon.