From Deseret News archives:
Red-letter day Utes overcome horrid start to beat Cougars
Oh, and it turned out to be a pretty good ball game, considering that everyone assumed the league champion Utes would steamroll over the Cougars, who had embarrassingly lost their last two games by a combined total of 50 points.
The Utes spotted the Cougars a large first-half lead before relying on a couple of their patented second-half runs to secure a 69-60 victory before 15,014 fans. The win moved Utah to 24-4 on the season and 12-1 in Mountain West Conference play, while BYU fell to 9-19 and 3-10.
The Cougars surprised the nearly all-Ute crowd by hanging tough most of the game. They led most of the first half and kept it close enough that the Utes couldn't take out Andrew Bogut and Marc Jackson until just 12 seconds remained in the game.
Bogut had his usual big numbers with 26 points, 13 rebounds and three steals, while Jackson dished out a career-high 11 assists and aggravated the Cougars with his defense. But the key Ute Saturday afternoon was 6-5 sophomore Justin Hawkins, who scored a career-high 21 points on 10 of 12 shooting from the field.
BYU was led by sophomore guard Austin Ainge with 17 points and six assists and Mike Hall with 12 points.
Even though they had clinched the Mountain West Conference title exactly a week earlier in Colorado, the Utes celebrated after the game as they have done so many times over the past decade.
The coaches and players were awarded the MWC trophy at midcourt and then the players took turns cutting down the net on the west basket while "We are the Champions" blared in the background.
"It's really special," said Ute coach Ray Giacoletti. "Their hard work was rewarded today and it was so nice they could do it in front of a packed house."
The Utes had gotten off to a horrible start, missing nine straight shots after a Richard Chaney basket on the first possession. Meanwhile, BYU was playing nothing like an 18-loss team, racing out to a 20-9 lead 12 minutes into the game.
"They hit some tough shots early, to their credit, and we panicked a little bit at the offensive end of the floor," said Giacoletti. "We got impatient offensively."
Comments
- Lakers could be without Kobe 1:01 a.m.
- Boozer plays like All-Star 12:24 a.m.
- Blog: More on Fesenko's "jackpotting'' 12:19 a.m.
- 'Ticky' Burden still not elite 12:18 a.m.
- Boylen wants consistency from Utes 12:13 a.m.
- Editorial: Keep health reform local 12:12 a.m.
- Teach good grammar 12:12 a.m.
- Shoveling snow makes men happy 12:12 a.m.
- Afterthoughts 12:12 a.m.
- Letters: Rein in lawyers 12:12 a.m.
- High school players commit to BYU
- Utah Jazz Ironmen
- 15-month-old Rachel Toone dies
- LDS veggie program helps Bolivians
- Teacher merit pay debated
- SLC's City Creek moves ahead
- Utahn's 'Caveman Diet' catching on
- 'Faces of America' recommends LDS
- MWC race shaping 'Survivor' style
- Kaman, not Boozer, on All-Star team
- Teacher merit pay debated
194 - UNLV bombs BYU into loss
186 - Countering attacks on LDS scholarship
163 - White House mocks Sarah Palin
102 - High school players commit to BYU
92 - Rally in opposition to benefit cuts
90 - Let's talk college hoops
78 - BYU's prime postseason position?
77 - Possible Constitution draft found
72 - Who Dat! Saints beat Colts
71
Visit the Deseret News Facebook page for this sweet Valentine! Ends Friday
The first hint of what ended up coming was after morning shootaround at...
The Utes ARE consistent!!!
BYU alum: your statement that this is "NOT a matter of scientific debate...
Bit of a messy win, but hey that's 4 on the bounce away from ESA :)...
The reason that Collie's comments were different that other's is that Collie...
At the age of 61, I'm doing many things I enjoyed as a child. However, I'm...
ala malone when a.c. green was chosen instead of him... lol. anyway awful...
The author paints an entire profession with a broad brush. Most lawyers are...
Miller family please fire Jerry Sloan and hire "Doug", anonymous blogger and...
Like Mom of Seven, we're raising them conservative, and Sarah Palin IS...
"Utah is in the third year of a 10-year health care reform plan." Ten years!...


You can be the first to comment on this story.