Utah Women’s Basketball Star Gianna Kneepkens Out For Season
Dec 4, 2023, 11:53 AM | Updated: Dec 5, 2023, 10:38 am
SALT LAKE CITY – It was the news everyone feared, Utah women’s basketball star Gianna Kneepkens will miss the remainder of the year with a season-ending injury.
Late in the fourth quarter against BYU last Saturday, Kneepkens dropped to the floor on a no-contact play and needed assistance to get off the court.
ESPN’s Holly Rowe was the first to report the news of Kneepkens’ season-ending injury.
Big news. Utah WBB crucial player out for the season. Devastated for @giannakneepkens
The @UTAHWBB star was averaging 17 ppg shooting 54% from 3. Talked to her at practice today. She is crushed but determined to stay positive and still contribute to team.— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) December 4, 2023
The Utes do have depth to work with, but it’s never easy being without the kind of impact player Kneepkens has been from the jump for a Utah team on the rise.
What Lynne Roberts Said About Gianna Kneepkens After The BYU Game
After Kneepkens was helped off the court and into the locker room on Saturday, Utah head coach Lynne Roberts said her star player was on her way for x-rays and that the team was hoping for the best.
“She is going to go get an x-ray,” Roberts said in post-game. “Hopefully it is nothing.”
Roberts then went on to explain the area of concern for Kneepkens as well as what she means to the Utes.
“It was like foot or ankle,” Roberts said. “She just kind of rolled it and it scared her. We’ll see. I do think, obviously, G is a huge part of our team and that is a significant loss if that happens, but I believe in our team and our depth. That’s why you have depth. Hopefully we get Issy Palmer back soon. We’ll be alright. It’s part of sports. It’s part of it, so, Lord willing, hopefully she’s ok.”
Obviously, as of today we know that the injury was serious and Kneepkens will not be available moving forward into the season. Roberts gave her thoughts on Kneepkens’ loss after Utah’s practice Monday morning.
“Our entire program is devastated for Gianna,” Roberts said. “No one works harder and competes to win like she does. I know she will attack this like she does everything else and come back better than ever. While this is adversity for our program, I believe in our players and know that we’ll persevere and our goals are still achievable.”
What Utah Loses In Production From Gianna Kneepkens Moving Forward
The Utah Utes guard only played in seven games in the 2023-24 season and certainly made her presence known.
Kneepkens averaged 24.9 minutes per game, 17.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, four assists, and 2.1 steals. The talented guard out of Minnesota was shooting at 68.2% from the field and 58.5% from the three before her year came to an abrupt end.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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