Two freshmen will start for BYU women in Utah rivalry game

Jason Franchuk

If there is a substitute for experience, BYU will need to find it. The women's basketball team is set to start a pair of freshmen against Utah in the 7 p.m. game tonight at the Marriott Center.

"We tell them it's the biggest game of your life," senior co-captain Mallary Gillespie-Carling said. "Take your high school rivalry and multiply it by 20."

Well, at least by seven -- as that's about how many extra points per game the Utes, who are led by two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore, are getting each night (70).

Mindy Nielson, a point guard, and Keilani Moeaki have been thrust into the BYU lineup for various reasons, mostly injuries. They average 12.8 points together, fourth and fifth best on the team individually behind the three veterans.

But Nielson, who's not a natural point guard by coach Jeff Judkins' standards -- she's more of a shooting guard -- is simply too good to keep off the floor. A career-ending knee injury to Mary Martha Abell before the season opened up playing time at forward for Moeaki, who is from Illinois and at one time was a Utah recruit.

Nielson, from Colorado, was also recruited by the Utes, who are 13-3 overall, 2-0 Mountain West.

Being acquainted with both programs, and the passion of competing against each other, "should help them" adjust to the difference between these games and the frenzy of any other, Judkins said.

"Whether you're a freshman or older, it's about coming out and executing," Nielson said.

Whatever the case, BYU's senior captains (Carling and Lauren Riley-Varley), junior Shawnee Slade or the two newcomers, BYU is going to have to do one of two things against the Utes, who have won their last eight games: Come up with an extra points to match Utah, or somehow find ways to hold it below the norm.

Probably a little bit of both, Carling figures.

"We need to come out aggressive; our best offense is our defense," BYU's leading scorer said. "If we come out strong and make them work for every shot, I think we'll have a good, close game."

Utah has won eight of the previous 11 meetings, though the Cougars have gotten the best of the last two from 2007. He had a talented team, also the older one.

Judkins believes he's finally getting the knowledge of his team that Elaine Elliott has probably known from the first day of practices -- where's the scoring going to come from?

Utah's Big Three has a significant advantage in points over BYU's. The combination of senior transfer Leilani Mitchell, along with mainstays Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple -- Utah's top three scorers -- are combining for 48.7 points per game.

The law firm of Carling, Varley and Slade is producing 29.9 points. The group put together its best game Wednesday at home against UNLV, 48 points to run the Cougars' (8-6, 2-0) winning streak to four games.

"We're starting to play a lot better together, we're real excited about it," Carling said.

It's been a long road to get to this point. Judkins has had numerous talks with his older players about how to lead; Carling, for one, has leaned on her new husband and parents "to vent" about problems she's encountered during the rough times this year, also known as November and December.

A new year, and the Cougars figure a good time to spark up an old rivalry.

"I think we're playing better, I think we understand what's going on is better," Judkins said. "Players know their roles better. I think I know this team better, what I can expect, what I can do. We have some things we have to work on... We need to do a better job of maintaining the intensity for 40 minutes."

No better time to learn than against Utah.

• Check it out for free: During last year's BYU vs. Utah women's basketball game in the Marriott Center, the team had its highest attendance ever with 4,018 fans. Log onto to byucougars.com, print the voucher and redeem it at the Marriott Center ticket office for up to ten (10) free tickets to the game.