Macie Warren led all scorers with 27 points and Maggie McCord poured in 26 to lead Utah Tech women's basketball to an 81-65 WAC home victory over Seattle U on Thursday night inside the Burns Arena. 

How it happened 
Utah Tech (8-6/2-1 WAC) led virtually wire-to-wire, thanks to the early hot-shooting hand of Warren, who knocked down her first three shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, as the Trailblazers jumped out to a 15-8 advantage five minutes into the game.
 
The Blazers managed to extend to a 25-15 lead with under two minutes to play in the first quarter, but the Redhawks (1-12/1-2 WAC) would close the period with an 8-2 spurt to trim the deficit to 26-22 at quarter's end.
 
Utah Tech took command in the second period, opening the frame with a 13-0 run en route to a 43-27 halftime cushion. Breaunna Gillen accounted for nine of the Trailblazers' 17 points in the quarter, while the Blazer defense held the Redhawks to just five points on 2-of-16 shooting.
 
The Trailblazers enjoyed a comfortable 70-46 lead after a Warren 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter. However Seattle U would quickly make things uncomfortable by forcing five Utah Tech turnovers as part 12-2 rally over the next three-plus minutes to cut the Blazer lead to 72-58 with 6:22 remaining.
 
McCord stopped the Redhawk run with a 3-pointer with under six minutes to go, and Utah Tech maintained its double-digit advantage the rest of the way to close out the win.
 
Numbers to know
Warren's 27 points were a season high and two points off of her career high of 29 points she tallied last season in a road win at Air Force (12/10/22). Warren shot 11-of-17 from the field with three 3-pointers, and finished with five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Meanwhile McCord's 26 points tied her career high, which she coincidentally tallied last year in a road win at Seattle U (2/26/22). McCord set a school record by going 11-of-11 from the floor with four 3-pointers and pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds to notch her second double-double of the season.
 
McCord's shooting night bested the previous record held by former Trailblazer Megan Tidwell, who went 9-of-9 for 21 points in a road win at Chaminade (93-54; 2/4/09) during the 2008-09 season.
 
Gillen added 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and tied a career high with five steals. Gillen also collected four boards and dished out five assists. Gillen also became Utah Tech's career leader in starts with No. 82 in her 105th career game.  
 
Bolstered by their guard line, the Trailblazers shot 55.9 percent (33-of-59) on the night, which was a WAC season high and the second-best shooting percentage overall this season.
 
Utah Tech also went 9-of-27 (.333) from the perimeter, though the Blazers were just 6-of-11 (.545) at the foul line. The Trailblazers recorded 18 assists on their 33 made field goals, but did turn the ball over a season-high 24 times. 
 
Mya Moore led four Redhawks in double figures with 20 points to go with a game-high 13 rebounds. Seattle U wound up shooting 32.1 percent (25-of-78) on the night, and was 7-of-29 (.241) from the beyond the arc.
 
Utah Tech will play the first of its only two road games in January this Saturday afternoon when the Trailblazers head to Phoenix for a showdown against WAC co-leader Grand Canyon. Tip-off inside the GCU Arena is set for 2 p.m. (MST).