SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gardner-Webb's historic season came to a close on Friday against 8th-ranked Utah, as the second-seeded Utes took a 103-77 win over the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb (29-5) saw its 21-game win streak snapped, but closed the 2022-23 season with 17 team and individual single-season mark chiseled into the school's record book.

Jhessyka Williams scored a team-high 20 points, despite playing much of the second half with four fouls, while Alasia Smith and Ki'Ari Cain each scored 14 points before fouling out. Lauren Bevin added 10 points and Christina Deng made a perfect 3-of-3 from deep to finish with nine.

"I think our team fought extremely hard, especially in the third quarter. We tied the third quarter," said head coach Alex Simmons. "Obviously Utah is a team that once they get in the flow, it's tough to stop them. Especially when they're making threes how they did in the second half. I thought our team did a great job of making adjustments, taking some adversity because we had a lot of adversity during that game. I'm proud of our team. I'm proud of the fight we had tonight.

"I told the team in the locker room, one game can't define the historic season that we've had. So hopefully they'll keep their head high and learn from this and move on."

After falling behind 27-14 after the first 10 minutes, Gardner-Webb settled in and played the high-scoring Utes nearly even over the next 20 minutes – scoring 20 points in the second quarter and 27 in the third to trail by 15 points going into the final 10 minutes.

Layken Cox hit a pair of free throws with 1:02 to play in the third quarter to trim Utah's lead to 71-61, but the Utes went on a 9-0 run to lead 80-61 with 9:22 to play in the game.

Gardner-Webb would not get any closer and lost its first game since December 20.

The Runnin' Bulldogs shot 40.6 percent for the game (28-of-69), grabbed 30 rebounds and shot 7-of-22 from long range (31.8 percent). Gardner-Webb didn't get to the free throw line often, but made 14-of-17 chances (82.4 percent).

In addition to her 14 points, Cain finished with a team-high six assists in 35 minutes.

Williams' scoring output moved her into second place on the Gardner-Webb career scoring list, as she finishes her time in Boiling Springs with 2,049 points – second to only Hall of Famer Fredia Lawrence.

Utah got 33 points from Pac 12 Player of the Year Alissa Pilla, who also finished with eight rebounds and eight assists. Forward Jenna Johnson had 20 points, with that duo helping supply most of the Utes' 60 points in the paint.

The Pac 12 regular season champions also made 22-of-28 free throws and had assists on 32 of 37 made baskets. Utah Made 37-of-63 from the floor (58.7 percent), with that efficiency overcoming 18 turnovers.

The Utes advance to play No. 10 seed Princeton for a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday.