Runnin' Utes NIT Journey Comes to an End Against Indiana State
With a ticket to the NIT championship on the line, the Runnin' Utes ran into a brick wall and fell just short of the promised land against the #1 seed Indiana State Sycamores, 100-90.
For Utah, Deivon Smith swept the box score, leading the team in points, assists, and rebounds. Smith finished with 28 points, going 10/16 from the field and 2/4 from the line, while also grabbing 7 boards and dishing out 6 assists in 32 minutes of play.
For Indiana State, Ryan Conwell led the team in scoring, going 9/16 from the field and 5/6 from the line for 27 points. Meanwhile, Sycamore's center Robbie Avila was active on the glass, leading the team with 10 rebounds, while Julian Larry finished the game with a team high 8 dimes.
The Utes kept up with Indy State in terms of shooting percentage as they went 52.3% from the field and 58.6% from deep, while the Sycamores shot at a 56.9% clip from the field and a 35.3% clip from beyond the arc. On top of the two 25+ point performances from Indiana State, the big difference was the atmosphere as it was essentially a home came for them at the Hinkle Fieldhouse.
It was a record-breaking season for the Runnin' Utes as Branden Carlson became the program's all-time block leader passing Dave Foster, and newcomer Deivon Smith broke the Pac-12 record for most triple doubles in a season, passing up the great Jason Kidd. Despite the bittersweet ending, fans are anxious to see what moves the team makes in the offseason, and hopeful to witness Smith take the court in Utah colors for one more season, as the program will step into uncharted territory with the Big 12.
ELIJAH GRAYSON MURRAY