A dark cloud looms over the Utah Utes as they suffered a huge setback surrounding Gianna Kneepkens in the 2023-24 NCAA season. The Lady Utes are having one of the best seasons so far as they already won eight out of the nine matches they have played. But little did they know, what was coming to haunt them.

During a match against the BYU Cougars, the Utes star Guard, Kneepkens found herself at the center of an unexpected incident that sent shockwaves through the sports community.    

A career-ending moment

The Utah Utes played against the Cougars for their eighth match of the ongoing season on Saturday. In the fourth quarter of the game, the Utes were leading with a score of 86-64. With only 1 minute and 47 seconds left on the clock, the ball was in possession of Utes guard Gianna Kneepkens and what happened next had the whole stadium go silent. 

Kneepkens tried to make a play and attempted to drive toward the basket, but she fell on the floor twisting her right foot. Utah’s head coach Lynne Roberts rushed onto the court to check on one of her best players and after talking with Kneepkens, she decided to bench her so she could take a rest. However, on her way to the seats, Kneepkens was seen in visible pain as she wasn’t able to put weight on her right leg. 

While the Lady Utes won the match with a final score of 87-68, it was later found out that Kneepkens would miss the whole season as she broke several bones in her right foot and had to go under surgery to recover. 

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Notably, the fans and basketball enthusiasts pray for the health and quick recovery of the Utes star. She showed incredible skills and talent in the matches she played before getting injured. 

How did Gianna Kneepkens perform this season?

Being one of the best players on the team, Kneepkens played a huge role in helping her team win seven matches out of the eight she played. She averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.

But one of her performances stood out the most, and that was in a match against the Alaska Anchorage in which she led her team to a victory with a final score of 101-57. During this game, she alone scored 22 points, secured 4 rebounds, made 2 assists, and stole the ball six times. 

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As she gets sidelined due to her injury, fans hope that she makes a speedy recovery and comes back stronger next year.