No. 18 BYU Takes Down Utah After Second Half Surge
Nov 27, 2021, 7:32 PM | Updated: 9:33 pm
(Courtesy of BYU Photo)
(Courtesy of BYU Photo)
SALT LAKE CITY – The 18th ranked BYU Cougars needed a second half surge but was able to beat the Utah Runnin’ Utes 75-64 on Saturday night.
BYU outscored Utah 48-35 in the second half after Utah held a 29-27 lead at halftime. Te’Jon Lucas led the Cougars with 18 points, including 11 in the second half. Alex Barcello chipped in 17 points.
For Utah, Branden Carlson had 17 points to lead the way. Rollie Worster added 13 points.
Pregame
The upper bowl curtain has been removed for tonight’s game against BYU. #GoUtes #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/ncyNtxB0yu
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
Marco Anthony is in street clothes and will not play. He hurt his ankle in the win over Tulsa in the Sunshine Slam.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 28, 2021
The Cougars and the Runnin’ Utes take the floor ahead of another rivalry matchup.
Lots of blue here in the Huntsman Center. #BYU #Utah #BYUvsUtah pic.twitter.com/5t2l0wmZft
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
First Half – Under-16 Timeout
The Utes had a strong start by scoring seven unanswered. It started with a midrange jumper by Branden Carlson, followed by a three-pointer by Rollie Worster and a tip-in by Riley Battin.
Five quick points for Utah. A midrange jumper by Carlson and a three-pointer by Worster.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 28, 2021
BYU responded with six straight points from Alex Barcello, Gavin Baxter and Te’Jon Lucas.
Barcello gets #BYU on the board after the Utes scored the first 7 points of the game.
Cougars facing some early adversity on the road. @kslsports #GoCougs
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
#BYU on a 6-0 run after the slow start.
The rebounding battle will be huge. Both teams are top 20 in rebounding margin.
Edge right now favors the Cougars 5-3. #BYUhoops #GoCougs @kslsports
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
Utah had a 7-6 lead at the first media timeout with 15:59 remaining in the first half.
First media timeout and the Huntsman Center is rocking with fans from both sides.@BYUMBB 6@UtahMBB 7
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
First Half – Under-12 Timeout
Early after the timeout, Dusan Mahorcic suffered an injury and had to be helped off the floor.
Dusan Mahorcic is on the ground and screaming in pain. That is not good at all. Utah is thin in the post as it is and he has been a great addition out of Illinois State.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 28, 2021
BYU is winning the rebounding battle after getting two straight offensive rebounds and finishing the possession with a Te’Jon Lucas triple.
Utah is losing on the glass. BYU had two extra chances and made the Utes pay with a three-pointer.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 28, 2021
At the under-12 media timeout, Utah had an 18-13 lead with 11:43 remaining in the first half. For the Runnin’ Utes, Riley Battin led the way with seven points. BYU’s leading scorer was Te’Jon Lucas with five.
Utah continues to lead BYU early in the first half at the Huntsman Center.@BYUMBB 13@UtahMBB 18
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
First Half – Under-8 Timeout
BYU was creating a pretty sizeable lead on the boards. At the under-eight timeout, the Cougars had 19 rebounds to Utah’s 10. BYU tied the game at 21 with 6:29 left until halftime. Alex Barcello and Spencer Johnson made some nice shots during that stretch to get the game tied.
BYU dominating on the boards so far in this game. 19-10, with the Cougars pulling down 8 offensive rebounds so far. They've tied it, 21-21, with under 6:30 to play in the first half. #BYUhoops #GoCougs
— Dallen Graff (@lilthoint) November 28, 2021
First Half – Under-4 Timeout
The next two minutes was a physical battle in which both teams scored just two points each. Utah and BYU were tied at 23 with under three minutes until halftime.
Rough shooting night for both teams. Close game throughout the half. @BYUMBB 23@UtahMBB 23
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
End Of First Half
Utah went on a mini run in the last two minutes to get a four-point lead after a Lazar Stefanovic steal and dunk. Utah had a 29-27 lead heading into the locker room. Lazar Stefanovic was Utah’s leading scorer with eight points, while Te’Jon Lucas dropped seven points for BYU.
Utah shot 38% from the field and 4-of-13 from the three-point line. BYU made 35% of their field goal attempts and just one of their nine three-point attempts.
It's a tightly contested battle at the Huntsman Center. At the half:#GoUtes #BYUhoops pic.twitter.com/3icOqDArWW
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 28, 2021
Second Half – Under-16 Timeout
BYU took their first lead of the game but that lasted just a couple of seconds as Branden Carlson converted a three-point play. Also, Te’Jon Lucas also picked up his third foul early and went to the bench.
Te’Jon Lucas just picked up his third foul early in the second half.
Spencer Johnson is going to see a lot of time as Lucas is fighting foul trouble. #BYU #BYUhoops @kslsports
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
BYU took a one-point lead after Seneca Knight drilled a three-pointer as the shot clock expired. At the first media timeout of the second half, BYU had a 37-36 lead with 15:26 remaining in the game.
Second Half – Under-12 Timeout
BYU reached their largest lead of the game to this point with a 44-40 lead with 11:53 left in the game. Caleb Lohner and Te’Jon Lucas had big buckets late to get the Cougars the lead.
#BYU fans being heard in the Huntsman center after a block by Gavin Baxter.
44-40 Cougars with 11:53 remaining. @kslsports #BYUhoops
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
Second Half – Under-8 Timeout
Coming out of the under-8 timeout, Utah turned the ball over twice and BYU got four points out of those miscues and took a 48-40 lead with 11:06 remaining. That forced Craig Smith to call a timeout.
BYU building it's lead in the second half and they haven't even attempted a three in the half 👀#BYUhoops #GoCougs
— Dallen Graff (@lilthoint) November 28, 2021
What a defensive play by Lohner! Wow! He stole the post pass intended for Branden Carlson and found a streaking Gavin Baxter for a monster two-handed slam dunk.
9-0 run. Cougars by 8. Momentum favoring the road team. #BYU #BYUHoops #GoCougs
📷: @BYUphoto pic.twitter.com/ollXEK4nPO
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
BYU’s lead reached 12 points before Utah started to chip away at it but the Cougars were getting anything they wanted on the offensive end. Te’Jon Lucas was heating up and the rest of the team was filling their roles behind him.
The Cougars held a 57-46 lead with 7:39 left in the game.
Te’Jon Lucas is ballin’ out for #BYU here in the second half.
He just drilled back-to-back three pointers. He’s up to 18 points now. 11 in the second half. #BYUHoops #GoCougs @kslsports
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 28, 2021
Te'Jon Lucas having his best game as a Cougar in his first taste of the BYU-Utah rivalry. He's got 18 points on 8-10 shooting. Barcello is getting all the attention and Lucas has stepped up big. #BYUhoops #GoCougs
— Dallen Graff (@lilthoint) November 28, 2021
Second Half – Under-4 Timeout
Utah started to make a run as Rollie Worster was getting some buckets in the paint. David Jenkins was knocking down some shots after having a quiet first half. BYU was keeping Utah away slightly but the Cougars held a 68-62 lead with 2:24 remaining in the game.
Utah is not protecting the paint at all. BYU has gotten so many dunks off of pick-and-roll.#GoUtes @kslsports
— Trevor Allen (@TrevorASports) November 28, 2021
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com, Co-Host of Faith, Family and Football podcast with Clark Phillips III and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports.
