Fresno State forward Maddi Utti earned Mountain West (MW) women’s basketball player of the week honors Monday, after leading the Bulldogs to their first road sweep of the season over the Utah State Aggies last week.
With her team-friendly offensive skill set, Utti helped Fresno State score 90 or more points in three consecutive games, the first time in program history that a Bulldog team has done so.
Utti has won the award three times before in her career — once near the end of her sophomore year and in back-to-back weeks last season in her junior year, where she was named MW women’s basketball player of the year.
It’s now the third time in four weeks that a Bulldog was named player of the week. Haley Cavinder was the first and second as she received the honor in back-to-back weeks on Jan. 19 and Jan. 25.
The 5-foot-11 senior averaged 16 points, 6.5 assists and six rebounds per game in the two-game series against the Aggies.
In the first game on Thursday, Utti started her scoring with a fast-break layup off the assist from Cavinder, then drained two catch-and-shoot 3-pointers from the corner.
The 2020 MW All-Defense selection showcased her on-ball defending skills in the third quarter. Utti knocked the ball out of the hands of Utah State guard Faith Brantley and finished with a layup at the other end.
Utti finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the Bulldogs’ 90-62 win Thursday.
On Saturday, Utti was responsible for more than half of Fresno State’s scoring in the first quarter. She contributed to 15 of the Bulldogs’ 29 first-quarter points with six points and four assists.
Utti remained a force on defense during Saturday’s third quarter. She blocked a shot attempt from Utah State guard Shyla Latone, then intercepted a pass that resulted in an open coast-to-coast layup.
The Seaside, Oregon, native again scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out a career-high seven assists on Saturday as Fresno State held off Utah State, 93-85. Utti had an efficient trip to Logan, Utah; she shot 60.9% from the field and 75% from 3-point range during the two-game series.
Fresno State (11-6, 9-3 MW) returns to the Save Mart Center Wednesday to begin a two-game series at home against Air Force.