LAS VEGAS – The Runnin’ Utes are moving on.
Playing USC in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament Wednesday night, Utah led throughout the contest and staved off a late Trojan comeback to win 69-66. With the victory, the Utes will play Cal in the second round of the tournament on Thursday. It was their third consecutive win.
”It was a great effort I thought by our guys coming out of the gate,” Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “I was really proud of our guys.”
On Wednesday, the Utes received timely contributions from multiple sources to secure the win. Each time USC made a run to get back in the game, a Utah player stepped up to widen the Utes’ margin. Jordan Loveridge keyed a 9-0 Utah run in the second half to stretch the lead from four to 13. After the Trojans cut the lead to one in the final minutes, Jarred DuBois took over.
As was the case last Saturday against Oregon, DuBois was the Utes’ most aggressive player Wednesday. Using a combination of strong drives to the hoop, smart passes and timely jumpers, DuBois carried Utah down the stretch. He scored five of the Utes’ final nine points and assisted a Jason Washburn dunk, all which allowed Utah to hold onto the lead.
“I was just trying to make plays,” said DuBois, who finished with 22 points and four assists. “I think it’s important as a senior that you try to do whatever you can to win. Earlier in the season I don’t think I did a good job of that so I’ve tried to do a job of either getting a rebound, a stop, a charge, or tonight it was making big plays by scoring or getting the open guy the ball.”
While the key Ute contributions occurred on the offensive end, it was Utah’s effort on defense that was the difference. With USC playing minus big man Dewayne Dedmon after he was suspended for his involvement in an altercation last weekend, the Utes’ plan on defense was to contain guards Jio Fontan and J.T. Terrell. Having done an effective job of stopping them in the first half, the Utes struggled to do so in the second frame and the Trojans came back.
The duo finished with a combined 20 points. A 3-pointer from Terrell cut Utah’s lead to three in the waning seconds but USC couldn’t get any closer than that. Starting in place of Dedmon, Omar Oraby led the Trojans with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Utes will next face a Cal team which it has lost to twice this season. In the first contest, Utah struggled with turnovers and in the second, the Utes had a cold shooting night. The Bears are the No. 2 seed in the tournament and had a bye in the first round Wednesday.
“I feel that we’re coming together when we need to come together at the right time,” said Jason Washburn, who finished with 10 points and five rebounds. “Obviously you want to win a lot at the beginning of the season and through conference play, but I think this team is really starting to understand what we need to do to win basketball games against good, solid teams here in the Pac-12.”
The game will tip off at 7 p.m. Mountain Time and will air on the Pac-12 Networks.