FILE — Utah Utes guard Marco Anthony (10) drives in opposition to USC Trojans guard Drew Peterson (13) throughout the recreation on the Huntsman Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Say this a lot about coach Craig Smith’s second College of Utah males’s basketball workforce: they're quick learners.
4 nights after failing to make the correct performs down the stretch in a disheartening dwelling loss to Sam Houston, the Utes got here up clutch repeatedly within the final moments Monday night time and defeated Georgia Tech 68-64 within the opening spherical of the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.
“Good bounce again win for us after a really disappointing recreation on Thursday night time,” Smith advised ESPN 700 radio. “I believed we had two excellent practices (after the 65-55 loss to Sam Houston). Loads of good performances by quite a lot of totally different folks.”
“We did earn it. It was a curler coaster of a recreation. We noticed about the whole lot in that recreation, from each groups. What an ideal begin. I believed we had a great end, however not so good in-between. However there have been quite a lot of actually good issues from tonight.” — Utah basketball coach Craig Smith.
5 Utes reached double figures, led by Gabe Madsen’s 16 factors, as Utah jumped out to leads of 12-0 and 23-4 early and led by eight at halftime earlier than the Yellow Jackets stormed again.
Utah improved to 4-1 and can meet the winner of the late Mississippi State-Marquette recreation on Wednesday for the event title.
Lazar Stefanovic and Marco Anthony added 11 factors apiece and Rollie Worster had 10 and made some key baskets down the stretch earlier than fouling out. Branden Carlson added 10 factors, all within the first half, whereas Ben Carlson had 9 rebounds.
“We did earn it. It was a curler coaster of a recreation. We noticed about the whole lot in that recreation, from each groups,” Smith advised the station. “What an ideal begin. I believed we had a great end, however not so good in-between. However there had been quite a lot of actually good issues from tonight.”
Among the best belonged to freshman Keba Keita, who missed the loss final week with an ankle damage and didn’t play within the first half. The Wasatch Academy product entered the sport halfway by way of the second half after Georgia Tech had taken its first lead and adjusted the sport.
Keita made a rebound basket with just below 9 minutes remaining to knot the rating at 50-50, then had a dunk a couple of minutes later to tie the rating once more. On the defensive finish he altered some pictures and guarded the rim.
“I believed Keba Keita (4 factors, two rebounds) modified the sport, his rim safety, a few of these rebounds he acquired,” Smith stated. “We performed him and Carlson collectively, and I believed that basically type of flipped the script. You already know, in our favor, in quite a lot of methods.”
Worster, who made a big play of his personal with a 3-pointer with 5:48 left, agreed together with his coach.
“Large,” Worster stated of Keita’s play. “I feel he flipped their momentum and gave us some momentum enjoying our model of basketball.”
Worster’s triple spurred a 7-0 run for the Utes. Anthony, Stefanovic and Ben Carlson additionally made massive pictures within the ultimate 5 minutes, one thing the Utes weren’t in a position to do in opposition to the Bearkats within the Huntsman Middle.
“We got here out nice. We got here out enjoying actually arduous, bodily. I feel from our loss, we discovered that we have to play bodily the entire recreation, from the beginning,” Worster stated. “We nonetheless had some lapses all through the sport, I suppose, however it was simply nice to get that win and get again to rolling for the Utes.”
The Utes gained regardless of committing 19 turnovers, which the Jackets was 24 factors. Utah had simply six factors off 5 Georgia Tech turnovers.
The Jackets let it get away as a result of they shot simply 35% from the ground (24 of 69) and 22% from deep (5 of 23). Additionally they missed some massive free throws down the stretch.
Utah had its full complement of gamers for the primary time this season; Keita, Luka Tarlac and Anthony have all missed video games resulting from damage or sickness.
“This can be a new workforce. We've got quite a lot of issues we are attempting to barter. That’s not an excuse,” Smith stated. “… We are attempting to determine issues out right here with quite a lot of various things. We actually tried to simplify what we're doing, simply so we're extra aggressive and on assault.”