No. 15 Utah 82, UNLV 46

3/8/2008 7:15 PM

By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -It took Utah 14 games to clinch the Mountain West Conference title and barely a few minutes to finish a perfect run through the league.

The 15th-ranked Utes won their 22nd game in a row, easily routing UNLV 82-46 on Saturday to complete a 16-0 season in the Mountain West.

Utah (27-3) opened the game on a 21-4 run and led by at least 14 the rest of the way while becoming the first team to sweep the Mountain West in seven years. The only other team to do it was the Utes in 2000-01.

``They have a standard that their committed to realizing,'' said Utah coach Elaine Elliott, who was coaching the Utes when they went 14-0 in the league.

Leilani Mitchell had 14 points, 13 assists and was one rebound shy of her first triple-double and Kaylee Whipple scored 20 for the Utes, who haven't lost since Dec. 3.

The team already holds the longest winning streak in school history and could easily reset the mark for victories in a season. The 2000-01 team went 28-4. This year's Utes still have the Mountain West and NCAA tournaments to get one more win to tie the record and two to set a new one.

The way the Utes played Saturday, 30-plus wins looks distinctly possible.

``We're such a good team together,'' said Whipple, who also had 10 rebounds.

Utah shot 50 percent, made 9 of 10 free throws and forced UNLV (8-21, 4-12) into 16 turnovers. The Utes also outrebounded the Rebels 45-29.

UNLV coach Regina Miller was stunned after the game, trying to figure out how her team lost by 36 points. There were plenty of reasons. The Rebels took quick shots, not allowing anybody to get in position for a rebound and leaving no time to get back on defense.

``We triggered their fast break and they're not an up-tempo team,'' Miller said. ``We played catch-up the whole time.''

Mitchell, the 5-foot-5 sparkplug who transferred from Idaho for her senior season, had her sixth double-double of the season.

``I wanted to be part of a winning program,'' said Mitchell, who had to sit out last season because of the transfer. ``It's been much better than I imagined.''

Kaylee Whipple had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Morgan Warburton scored 12 and Deanne Stevenson had 10 points for Utah.

The Utes clinched the Mountain West title a week before with a win over Wyoming, then struggled at last-place Colorado State on Wednesday. Utah kept the perfect league season intact by winning 63-58 over the Rams, who went 0-16 in the MWC.

``I think we had a little bit of a reality check in Colorado State,'' Warburton said.

Mitchell and forward Jessica Perry were honored before their final home game as Utah's only seniors, and the Utes had a lead not after they opened the game 7-for-9 from the field.

Utah opened the game on an 11-4 run and UNLV called time out to try to cool off the Utes. It only seemed to rest them for an even bigger run. Utah scored the next 10 points and held the Rebels scoreless for 6:33. Sequioia Holmes finally broke the drought on a three-point play with 12:04 remaining, but that only got UNLV within 27-4.

Whipple answered that with a 3-pointer to start a 15-3 run that had Utah firmly in control. The Utes led 44-19 at halftime and Elliott subbed freely in the second half. Mitchell got to play a little in the second half even though the outcome was decided, but never got her 10th rebound.

Holmes scored 15 and Brittany Halberg had 14 points for UNLV, which shot 28 percent in the first half.