MBB: Utah vs. No. 24 USC Live Thread: Utes Fall 91-85 In Double Overtime
If Utah was going to change around the fortunes of its season, it was well known that Timmy Allen and Alfonso Plummer were going to have to shine.
Two weeks ago, the Utes secured its biggest win of the season when they took down nationally-ranked USC.
Leading the way were Allen and Plummer, who combined for 34 points in leading Utah to a 71-61 over the Trojans. Not only did the victory snap the Utes four-game losing streak, it ignited them to three wins in the past four games.
Over those four games, Allen and Plummer have found their groove on offense and it's making the Utes a very dangerous team at the exact right time.
Allen is averaging 18.8 points and Plummer is putting up 17.5 points over the past four games, which culminated in a 98-95 victory over Washington in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament on Wednesday.
The junior forward finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the victory over the Huskies, while his sharpshooting mate added 21 points on 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Despite collapsing on both ends of the court at the end of the game, there were a lot of positives to take from opening-round victory.
“The nature of the game was a little bit up-tempo,” Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “Our guys shared the basketball, and this is the time of the year when you want to be knocking down shots. To have six people in double figures is a little bit unusual in a college game. But this is the time of year when guys need to be using their rounds of ammunition, and making them.”
Mar 10, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) looks to dunk during the second half against the Washington Huskies at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
But if Utah wants to continue its season, they'll have to secure another victory against the USC, currently ranked No. 24 in the country and the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
The Utes have had success this season in containing Trojans star Evan Mobley, the Pac-12 freshman, defense and overall player of the year. He's averaging 16.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, but somehow the Utes have held him to 7.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in two meetings.
“I would have to kill you if I gave you our secret sauce (for containing Mobley),” Krystkowiak joked on Wednesday night.
Another performance like two weeks ago will put Utah into the conference semifinals for the first time since the 2015-16 season when the Utes would go on to lose to Oregon in the title game.
"We're excited about tomorrow, we're excited we can move on, and we're going to try to keep going here in Vegas, so we're looking forward to that," Allen said postgame Wednesday.
2021 Pac-12 Tournament / Quarterfinals
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Utah MBB vs. USC / Pac-12 tournament — Starters
FIRST HALF
*Utah comes out looking a little slow compared to last night... but that's to be expected
*Plummer making an early difference as he's 2-for-2 from the floor early on
Utah 7 - USC 4
15:28 | 1H
Nothing much going in the early part of the game other than Plummer appears to still have his stroke from last night
*Utah is going to have to keep the Mobley brothers off the offensive glass and run the Trojans off the three-point line... essentially the same thing they did two weeks ago...
*Utah has to love the fact that Evan Mobley, the best player in the Pac-12, is already on the bench with two fouls. He very well could sit there for the remainder of the first half…
*Utes doing a really good job and getting to the rim with Evan Mobley out of the game... definitely appears to be part of their game plan
Utah 14 - USC 11
10:36 | 1H
Utes playing just good enough on defense and keeping the rebounds even while attacking the rim on offense, solid effort thus far
*It's clear that with Mobley out of the game, the Trojans are going to attack Plummer when he's on defense. He's going to have to rise to the occasion and get a few stops if the Utes want to survive...
*Really impressed with Utah's effort early on. USC has come to play and the Utes are battling... but Allen needs to get going offensively...
Utah 19 - USC 19
7:54 | 1H
Real solid game from both teams early on, will be interesting to see who makes a run in the next few minutes...
*Trojans now using a 3/4 court press against Utah. With Jones out, it really gave the Utes issues last night against Washington…
*USC went on a quick 5-0 run and Krystkowiak immediately puts Allen back into the game...
*Utah's offense has gone stagnant as the ball movement is slowing down and the passes aren't hitting shooters in the pocket
*Fouls are becoming an issue as Carlson, Martinez and Larsson all have two fouls for the Utes. And USC is slowly pulling away with Evan Mobley out...
*Never want to blame fatigue but the Utes are 2-of-9 from deep and most of those shots are hitting off the front rim...
Utah 21 - USC 30
3:05 | 1H
Huge last thee minutes upcoming as the Trojans are on an 11-2 run right now... Utah needs to keep this deficit at single digits entering the break
*Utah is being dominated in the paint, even with Evan Mobley out, as they're being outscored 18-6...
*Trojans are so big in the post, and they're doing a good job of finding the smaller man for the Utes and targeting him. Carlson will be vital in the second half
Utah 29 - USC 34
Halftime
Utes battled back to make it a close game entering the second half. Have some corrections but they're very much alive...
Utah MBB vs. USC / Pac-12 Tournament — Halftime Stats
SECOND HALF
*The second half is underway as Utah has the ball
*Allen with a three-point play to begin the half, maybe this gets him started after a quiet first half...
*USC is running the Utes off the three-point line… and it’s working as Utah is just 3-for-12 after knocking down 14 last night
*OUCH, Carlson just picked up his third foul and there are still just under 17 minutes to play. USC is torching the Utes in the paint, cant afford to have Carlson on the bench...
Utah 36 - USC 42
15:22 | 2H
Utes are hanging around but need to get more stops on defense, can't afford to go back and forth.
*Utes can't catch a break. A Battin three-pointer makes it a three-point game but the Trojans respond with a three-point play of their own...
*Utes starting to get into dangerous territory as the Trojans are on a 6-0 run and the Utes trail by with just 12 to go…
*Utah's offense has been so stagnant compared to last night... and are currently without a field goal over the last 2:32...
Utah 45 - USC 51
11:23 | 2H
Utes are barely hanging but can't seem to draw even. Plummer is going to need to be more aggressive to open things up down low for Utah
*Utes are in some foul trouble as Martinez, Battin and Carlson all have three…
*Utah not going away quietly. After the Trojans made it a 9-point game, Allen gets a three-pointer and Martinez gets a quick bucket...
*Now Battin has four fouls... which means that the Utes are about to lose their two big men with just over 7 to play...
*Utes have the deficit down to three… HERE WE GO…
*Back and forth we go. Plummer gets a three, followed be a USC three before Martinez sinks a jumper
Utah 60 - USC 66
3:15 | 2H
Utah is hanging around but every time they appear poised to breakthrough, the Trojans respond. It's go time from here on out...
*WOW… Plummer fouled on a three-point attempt. He’ll shoot three, with the Utes down 3 with 1:16 to go…
Utah 67 - USC 68
1:12 | 2H
*Plummer knocks down 2-of-3 and it's a one point game as USC has the ball. Can the Utes get the key stops it needs...???
*Jantunen draws the charge… Utes ball down one with 51.9 to play…
*Battin fouls out as Plummer shot is blocked by Mobley… USC shooting two with 35.8 to go
*Let’s just say the officiating has been questionable at best down the stretch…
*Allen scores in the lane, as Utah trails 71-69 with 16.0 to play and USC with the ball...
*Anderson misses two free throws for USC... Utes ball with 10.7 to go and trailing by two...
*Martinez is fouled with 2.3 seconds left and sinks them both... OVERTIME!!!
Utah 71 - USC 71
Overtime
Utah refuses to go away and they'll get another five minutes to save and continue their season...
OVERTIME
*Battin is out but Carlson and Jantunen both have four fouls…
*Utah is refusing to go away, always finding an answer for the Trojans...
*Martinez fouls out… and that’s a heartbreaker for the Utes. He was sensational with 18 points on the night…
*That looks like it was off Plummer to me. Should be USC ball with 1:39 to go and the Utes trailing by two…
*Jantunen has now fouled out… as the officials are just gifting everything to Evan Mobley… Utes in trouble now…
*After Allen cuts it to one, USC gifted with a foul on Larsson (questionable). Utes down three with 51.1 to go
Utah 77 - USC 80
34.6 | OT
Talk about bad timing, Krystkowiak calls a TO right as Larsson comes off a screen and drills a three that would've tied the game
*PLUMMER TIES IT UP WITH A THREE-POINT OFF A SCREEN FROM ALLEN… 24.8 to go, USC ball
Utah 80 - USC 80
Double Overtime
Plummer knocks down a three-pointer off an incredible out of bounds, and we'll play five more minutes
*Utah is without Battin, Martinez and Jantunen… all while Carlson has four fouls
DOUBLE OVERTIME
*Allen now has four fouls as, shocker, Evan Mobley goes to the free throw line... Utes down three with 2:27 to go...
Utah 83 - USC 85
1:36 | 2OT
Utah will have the ball coming out of the official review...
*Utes in desperation mode as they’ve run out of gas. Trailing by 4 with 36.7 to play and USC shooting two free throws. Allen has also fouled out…
UTAH 85 - USC 91
FINAL
Utes showed great fight but their season comes to an end after taking No. 2 USC to double overtime
Utah MBB vs. USC / Pac-12 Tournament — Final Stats
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