FILE – Utah Runnin’ Utes head coach Craig Smith huddles together with his gamers as they play the Lengthy Island Sharks on the Jon M. Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Ben B. Braun, Deseret Information
Mississippi State did what it may handy Wednesday’s Fort Myers Tip-Off championship sport to the College of Utah, firing up brick after brick on the rim earlier than getting a number of photographs to drop within the last minutes.
The Utes wouldn’t settle for the generosity.
Coach Craig Smith’s crew was almost as accommodating the day earlier than Thanksgiving by going ice chilly in crunch time within the defensive slugfest, and the Bulldogs remained undefeated with a 52-49 win at Suncoast Credit score Union Enviornment.
“Tonight is a troublesome one (to lose), clearly. Man, our guys actually, actually competed arduous and we gave ourselves each alternative to win. That second half, we missed so many clear, open seems to be.” — Utah basketball coach Craig Smith.
Mississippi State, ranked twenty eighth in KenPom.com, improved to 6-0 with the event title. Utah dropped to 4-2, and can return to Salt Lake Metropolis and host St. Thomas (5-2) on Saturday night time within the Huntsman Heart questioning what may need been if it had made a number of extra free throws in crunch time and gotten even common nights from its two high scorers, Gabe Madsen and Branden Carlson.
“Tonight is a troublesome one (to lose), clearly. Man, our guys actually, actually competed arduous and we gave ourselves each alternative to win,” Smith informed ESPN 700 AM radio. “That second half, we missed so many clear, open seems to be.”
Utah made only one discipline aim and missed three key free throws within the last 5 minutes when the sport was there for the taking. Nonetheless, the Utes twice had probabilities to tie it within the last 20 seconds.
Dashawn Davis, who led all scorers with six 3-pointers for 18 factors, missed a free throw with 17.2 seconds left, however Madsen missed a 3-pointer seconds later. Then Tolu Smith missed a freebie with 4.6 seconds left, and Utah obtained a timeout to arrange a last play.
Nevertheless, Rollie Worster fired an airball on the buzzer from properly behind the 3-point line, and the Bulldogs ran off with the event title.
“That's one thing we run each day in observe,” Madsen mentioned of the ultimate shot. “We have been initially going to let it go after which I feel they kinda have been sitting again (so the Utes known as timeout). We needed to ensure we obtained a shot.”
Worster’s hurried shot wasn’t anticipated to go in, however lot of others have been, as Madsen went 2 of 14 from the ground and a couple of of 10 from 3-point vary. After not scoring within the second half of Monday’s 68-64 win over Georgia Tech, heart Branden Carlson stayed chilly, going scoreless on 0 of 6 taking pictures.
“We missed a variety of open seems to be, me particularly,” Madsen mentioned. “I dunno, a variety of open seems to be, man. You may say what you need, however typically the ball simply doesn’t go in and yeah, tough night time.”
The Utes shot 33% from the sphere and 21% from deep (4 of 19), which isn’t dangerous contemplating the Bulldogs have been 17 of 67 (25%) from the sphere and 9 of 38 from lengthy vary. Take away Davis’ 6 of 9 effort with the 3-ball, and Miss State was 3 of 29.
“I believed we executed fairly properly defensively,” Smith mentioned. “I imply, you maintain a group to 25%, you're going to win that sport 95 out of 100 instances, I might suppose.”
Utah dedicated 11 turnovers within the first half when MSU scratched out a 25-21 lead on the break, then did a significantly better job with the ball within the second half, giving it away solely thrice after halftime. The Bulldogs had eight steals.
“Turnovers, after which clearly simply rebounding (value Utah),” Madsen mentioned. “And down the stretch, that's what obtained to us. They obtained some offensive rebounds and have been in a position to pull it again (and rating) and ended up beating us.”
Mississippi State turned 19 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance factors. The important thing sequence got here after Marco Anthony made considered one of two free throws to provide Utah a 45-42 lead with 4:37 left.
MSU missed three straight 3-pointers, however grabbed offensive rebounds on all three misfires. Then Davis obtained free for his fifth triple to tie it. After Worster’s shot went out and in, Smith made a jumper that got here after, what else, an offensive rebound.
“We knew this was going to be a massacre, and bodily,” Smith mentioned. “That's what they do. …. We have to play bodily and rugged like that. That's most likely how we're going to find yourself taking part in.”
Ben Carlson and Anthony scored 10 factors apiece to guide the Utes, whereas freshman Keba Keita had one other good night time off the bench with 4 factors and 7 rebounds.
“Keba Keita I believed was excellent tonight,” Craig Smith mentioned. “(Tolu) Smith is a load. That man can be among the best gamers, for positive among the best huge males, we'll see.”
Utah’s coach additionally favored what Ben Carlson supplied with 4 rebounds to go together with 4 of 6 taking pictures.
“Ben Carlson has made monster steps from the place he was three weeks in the past to the place he was at present,” Smith mentioned. “I believed he was actually good tonight.”
Utah obtained 15 factors from its bench, Mississippi State zero.
Every week from Thursday, Utah opens Pac-12 play by internet hosting undefeated Arizona.
“We'll preserve climbing,” Smith mentioned. “I'm actually enthusiastic about the way forward for this group.”