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SALT LAKE CITY — Each recreation issues down the ultimate stretch of the common season, particularly one by which Utah’s last six video games come in opposition to groups ranked within the high half of the Pac-12.
Happily for Utah, the primary recreation was a great way to begin that last stretch.
Utah managed a 6-point halftime lead that it then constructed as much as an 18-point lead halfway by the second half en path to a 73-62 win at residence over Colorado on Saturday night time. Whereas not good at instances, Utah managed the sport from the opening tip and by no means gave in to the Buffaloes’ a number of makes an attempt to get again into the sport.
With the win, Utah (17-9, 10-5 Pac-12) strikes into sole possession of third place within the convention standings and only a recreation behind Arizona, who was upset by Stanford minutes earlier than Utah and Colorado tipped off.
“It is an incredible win for the Runnin’ Utes,” Utah head coach Craig Smith mentioned. “I believed we performed a extremely good basketball recreation a lot of the night time. I might like to complete the sport off higher, however I believed we had an incredible mindset. We had an incredible week of follow this week.”
The Runnin’ Utes have been benefitted most from the inside-out play of Branden Carlson, who drew a number of defenders beneath the rim every time he touched the ball. If he could not cut up the protection, which he did many instances, he was capable of kick it out for open seems to be from 3-point vary.
And his teammates obliged to hit six 3-pointers to maintain Colorado (14-12, 6-9 Pac-12) trustworthy. It wasn’t a full-on capturing barrage, but it surely was sufficient to maintain Colorado at bay.
Carlson completed with a team-high 17 factors on an evening the place the group shot 49% from the sphere. However the greatest spotlight of the night time from the veteran middle got here when he blocked a shot on protection after which had a give-and-go flying dunk on the opposite finish to showcase his dominance on the courtroom.
Marco Anthony added 17 factors and eight rebounds within the win, however was instrumental in Utah’s capacity to restrict Colorado sharpshooter Tristan da Silva, who has averaged 23.4 factors per recreation over his final 5 video games. Anthony restricted da Silva to solely 6 factors on 3-of-12 capturing, which is his lowest manufacturing since a 4-point outing within the second recreation of the season in opposition to Grambling State.
“This dude’s obtained an elite contact across the basket. … However to carry him to six factors on the tear he is been on was excellent,” Smith mentioned. “Marco guarded him a lot of the night time. Clearly, we introduced a double to him when he was within the submit, and our guys executed very well.”
“I simply knew I needed to deliver my A-game on the defensive finish particularly, and I used to be capable of do what I did, and that ended up serving to us win this recreation,” Anthony added.
Utah was additionally capable of restrict Colorado’s second-leading scorer in KJ Simpson to 14 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Simpson completed because the group’s main scorer, however Smith mentioned he was happy along with his group’s effort to pressure the “dynamic” guard into 13 subject objective makes an attempt for him to get his factors.
“To have the ability to simply form of hold these two guys in examine once they account for 49% of their offense in league play, credit score our guys for actually doing their half that manner,” Smith mentioned.
Utah obtained some good minutes out of Ben Carlson and Keba Keita, too, which helped hold Branden Carlson contemporary and the rotations transferring alongside. Ben Carlson completed with 10 factors and eight rebounds within the win, however Smith mentioned the previous Wisconsin switch is enjoying with extra confidence as of late to assist influence the group.
In simply 10 minutes of play, Keita completed with 8 factors and 5 rebounds. However extra importantly, he impacted the sport within the submit with a giant physique and his capacity to swat away lazy Colorado passes.
All of it led to Utah having a productive night time in opposition to a high-tempo group that likes to get out and run in transition. Utah outrebounded Colorado 41-29 to maintain the Buffaloes from getting too many second-chance alternatives.
On the finish of the sport, all Colorado might do was try a fullcourt press on Utah in hopes they’d make an error. However Utah had no downside beating the press and continued to remain above the visiting group. Colorado made its run, but it surely was too little, too late.
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Josh is the Sports activities Director for KSL.com and beat author of College of Utah athletics — primarily soccer, males’s basketball and gymnastics. He’s additionally an Related Press Prime 25 voter for school soccer.
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