MBB: Livestream of Utah vs. USC — Utes win 79-65
PREGAME
Utah enters the matchup 14-12 overall and 5-9 in the Pac-12, sitting in eighth place in the conference standings. USC enters Sunday in sixth place in the Pac-12 with an 8-6 record, and 19-8 overall.
In the first meeting between the two teams on Jan. 30, Utah's road woes were in full effect as when they blew a second half lead and allowed USC to storm back for the victory. Timmy Allen led four Utes in double-figures with 13 points — while USC Nick Rakocevic finished with a game-high 16 points in the win
Starters:
Utah — Timmy Allen, Riley Battin, Rylan Jones, Both Gach, Brendan Carlson
USC — Jonah Mathews, Nick Rakocevic, Onyeka Okungwu, Danial Utomi, Ethan Anderson
FIRST HALF
*USC wins the top and we are underway...
*Jones knocks down a three-pointer for the first points of the game for Utah, before Carlson's jumper gives them a 5-3 lead early...
*Utah 9 — USC 3
15:54 left 1H
Utes come out firing… playing patient on offense and hard on defense. A really good showing early on...
*Carlson already with 4 points and 3 rebounds early on — but most importantly no fouls through the opening four minutes...
*Kiss of death, Carlson gets a foul 17 seconds later and Krystkowiak immediately pulls hime... Utah can't afford Carlson to be in trouble...
*Krystkowiak wasn’t joking when he was talking about mixing things up. Less than 5 minutes in and he already has Jantunen and Plummer in the game — two players who played very well against UCLA on Thursday night...
*Against UCLA, the offense went stagnant when Carlson came out — have to wonder how they look today or who takes it upon themselves to make plays...
*Ask and you shall receive as Plummer knocks down a three-pointer to beat the buzzer, giving the Utes an early 14-6 advantage...
*Utah 16 — USC 6
12:54 left 1H
Utes distributing the scoring really well early on as Allen and Carlson have a combined 10 points while Plummer and Jones each have three-pointers...
*Allen playing much more aggressively early on, looking to initiate the offense and have it run through him, which is where Utah is at its best...
*USC got a third fast break in a row and Carlson tries to chase the guy down for the block but gets the foul instead — now has two with 11:13 left in the 1H. He needs to be smarter than that...
*After jumping out to a 10-pt lead, USC has gone on an 7-0 run to cut Utah’s lead to 3 with 10 to play in the 1H...
*Utah 20 — USC 19
6:35 left 1H
That fast start is now gone as USC went on a 13-2 run. Allen leading the way with 6p and 4r, but losing Carlson is hurting...
*Both Gach is now 0-for-2 from beyond the arc tonight, and 0 for his last 25 attempts from three-point territory...
*Have to wonder why Alphonso Plummer isn’t getting more run. Great energy guy, plays hard on defense and communicates, while being deadly from three (2-for-2 today)…???
*On back-to-back possessions, Plummer knocked down a contested three-pointer and was then fouled on the next one, sinking all three free throws — he leads Utah with 9 points... Utah leads 28-25 with 4:09 to play in the half...
*Utah 28 — USC 25
3:57 left 1H
Plummer providing another spark off the bench with 9 points, 2-of-2 from deep, to help give the Utes a lead late in the half...
*Some back and forth action as both team's exchange three-pointers... but the final minute will be important for Utah to execute...
*Great end to the first half for the Utes. Jones knocks down a three-pointer, Brenchley gets a steal and gets it to Jones, who us fouled and will shoot 1-and-1 with 2.3 seconds left...
*Utah 34 — USC 28
Halftime
HALFTIME
Halftime Stats
*All things considered, with Carlson getting into foul trouble and giving up a 13-2 run, leading by 6 is something Utah should be proud of...
*Some of the differences from Thursday is that Utah is battling more defensively and winning the rebounding battle. Also, a lot more aggressive on offense (5-for-14 from deep) to help spread open the floor and allow Allen to work down low...
*Utah forced 10 turnovers in the opening half, turning that into 14 points. Meanwhile, they turned it over six times but have only given up three points off that...
*5 ways how @UtahMBB wins the game in the second half —
1.) Carlson stays out of foul trouble
2.) Hit free throws
3.) Keep attacking on offense
4.) Win the rebounding battle
5.) No second-chance points for USC
SECOND HALF
*USC begins with the ball and we are underway...
*Quick start for the Utes as they get a steal and Gach lobs the alley-oop to Allen. who flushes it down...
*Utah opens up the half with a 5-0 run, including forcing two Trojans turnovers...
*Plummer is the first Ute in off the bench in the second half, replacing Gach with just over 16 to play...
*Utah 42 — USC 3
16:21 left 1H
Utes begin the second half on an 8-2 run. And it’s fairly simple, just being aggressive on offense and stout on defense. Nothing special, just executing...
*Plummer knocks down another three, his third of the game...
*Utah looks like the team that showed up for the last five minutes of Thursday’s game against UCLA Being aggressive on offense and disciplined on defense. This is the Utes team that can play with anyone in the conference… but consistency is the issue...
*What a play by Jantunen. Allen airballs a shot to beat the shot clock but Jantunen appears to catch the miss and make the shot before the buzzer sounds...
*Big swing of things. Carlson gets the trailing block, leading to a fast break where Plummer finds Jantunen — Utes playing very well… but can they keep it up the entire game because a USC run has got to be coming...
*Utah 52 — USC 41
11:45 left 2H
Utah playing well and both ends of the court. Allen nearing a double-double with 13p and 8r...
*Plummer playing well, always looking to attack and push the issue on offense, which is what this team needs a bit of...
*Here comes USC… Trojans on a 6-0 run over the last 1:21 to make this a 5-pt game with just under 11 to play… Krystkowiak immediately puts Jones and Carlson back in...
*And Plummer responds for the Utes, knocking down a corner three-pointer. He's up to 15 points for the game...
*Utah 55 — USC 51
9:23 left 2H
Momentum to USC as Allen picks up his third foul and the Trojans have their last five FG attempts...
*Utah 58 — USC 51
7:58 left 2H
A broken play all the way around leads to a Jantunen three-pointer, helping cushion the Utah lead and getting back some big momentum...
*That was a very big shot for Jantunen, who kept the play alive by outracing a Trojan to the ball in the back court after it was deflected. Those are the types of plays that win you close games in conference play...
*Back-to-back three-pointers by Jantunen and Carlson, Utah’s two big men, are huge. USC’s bigs clearly not comfortable playing that far from the hoop and the Utes are making them pay… very impressive play design by Krystkowiak...
*Carlson and Jantunen are taking over for the Utes on offense. They have great hands for their size, can step out and shoot, but also understand angles on offense...
*Clinging to an 8-pt lead with 5:07 to go, Krystkowiak is rolling with a lineup that features Jones, Plummer, Jantunen, Carlson and Allen...
*Uh-oh… Jones draws the offensive foul on a great play but he’s down and in serious pain. He’s grabbing at his left leg… looks like it’s his knee. Crowd “ooooohs” when seeing the replay...
*He gets a nice standing ovation but he can’t put any weight on the knee and is immediately taken to the locker room… not good news for the Utes...
*Utah 67 — USC 62
3:10 left 2H
Utes in a dogfight and will have to finish without their PG (and most clutch player) in Jones who limped off the court. Gach checks in for him…
*And Plummer knocks the three-pointer on the next possession... what a showing from the junior tonight...
*Utah 72 — USC 62
1:57 left 2H
Plummer knocks down a three-pointer and Allen gets a layup to fall as the Utes go on a big 5-0 run...
*Utah leads by 11 with just over a minute to play, and USC is in full foul mode — Utes will have to put this game away at the free throw line…
*That’ll just about do it as Allen and Gach hit a pair of free throws, putting the Utes up 77-62 with 1:04 to play. What a rebound of a performance by the Utes after Thursday’s debacle against UCLA...
*Big win for Utah — but more impressive was Plummer and Jantunen again. They combined for 31 points with 6 three-pointers off the bench to pace Utah. Tough to beat when you get that production from your role players...
Final Stats