Pedersen has 18 points, 12 rebounds in 60-41 win over Utah

Pedersen leads No. 2 Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. — Kayla Pedersen scored 18 points and had 12 rebounds in leading No. 2 Stanford to a 60-41 victory over Utah on Friday.

Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 17 points and Jeanette Pohlen added 11 for the Cardinal (5-0), who won their 31st consecutive home game despite being held to their lowest point total since scoring 58 in a win over Cal in February.

Senior All-American center Jayne Appel was limited to two points and six rebounds in 21 minutes.

Taryn Wicijowski scored all 15 of her points in the second half to lead the Utes (1-3), who fell to 0-3 on the road. Kalee Whipple added 13 points.

Whipple is the only starter left from the Utah team that took Stanford to double overtime before losing two years ago in Salt Lake City.

The Utes have been to the postseason in 13 of the past 15 years, including a trip to the round of eight in the NCAA tournament in 2006, and are the two-time defending Mountain West champion.

Both schools rebounded from cold shooting starts with solid second-half shooting. The Cardinal shot 42 percent and Utah was at 49 percent in the final 20 minutes.

After making one of 10 3-pointers in the second half of Sunday’s win at UC Davis, the Cardinal were 2 of 17 in the first half against Utah.

The Utes were held scoreless over a 10-minute span of the first half, and were still within nine points of the Cardinal.

Stanford eventually opened a 21-8 lead with 4:14 left in the first 20 minutes and took a 24-11 advantage into the half.