Utes take winning streak to 'The Pit'

ALBUQUERQUE — With an 18-game winning streak, the last place the Utah basketball team should play its next game is at The Pit, home of the New Mexico Lobos.

That's because two of the three longest winning streaks in Utah history have come to an end here.

The Utes wrapped up the Mountain West Conference regular-season championship Saturday afternoon with a second-half comeback to beat Air Force 65-56. That gives the Utes a four-and-a-half game lead over the Falcons and the Lobos, who beat BYU 91-72.

Tonight, they'll take on the Lobos at 7 p.m. in a game televised on KJZZ-TV.

The Utes currently own the second-longest winning streak in the nation, behind No. 1-ranked Illinois. They're also tied for the second-longest winning streak in Utah history behind the 23-game streak set in 1999.

The other 18-game streak was halted here on Feb. 1, 1998. It was a game most Ute fans will never forget a.k.a. "The Mugging of Andre Miller."

That was the nationally-televised game on a Sunday afternoon when Utah led most of the game, only to see the Lobos overcome a nine-point deficit in the final two-and-a-half minutes to win 77-74.

What was most memorable was how Miller twice had the ball stolen in backcourt without a call after being hit by Lobo players, including one blow to the head that left him lying on the floor for two minutes.

Seven years earlier, on Feb. 2, 1991, the Utes' 17-game winning streak came to an end in The Pit when the Lobos won 68-62, also coming back from a nine-point deficit in the second half.

The Utes could be ripe for a letdown tonight after accomplishing their prime goal for the season of winning the Mountain West Conference title. Coach Ray Giacoletti said the Utes aren't going to change their approach, but they need a new goal, now that they've won the title.

"We're not going to change anything," he said. "We're still trying to find a way to play our best basketball at the end of the year. We need to come up with another goal."

Presumably by game time, the Utes will have a new goal. For one thing they could try putting their opponent away a little earlier. The Utes usually save their best for last with furious second-half rallies like they did Saturday when they outscored Air Force 39-24 in the second half.

When the Utes beat the Lobos last month in Salt Lake 69-58, the Lobos didn't have Danny Granger in the lineup. Since he rejoined the team, the Lobos have played better, winning five of their last six games. In Saturday's win over BYU, Granger scored 20 points for the hot-shooting Lobos, who made 62 percent of their field goals, including 68 percent from 3-point range.

"They are a different team with Granger," said Giacoletti.