Utah Utes basketball: Will Clyburn scores three to clinch win over Boise State

Broncos at Utes boxscore

SALT LAKE CITY — Will Clyburn, who has already made a name for himself in leading the Utah basketball team in scoring and rebounding so far this season, hit the biggest shot of his life Friday night to give the Utes a thrilling 86-84 come-from-behind victory over Boise State at the Huntsman Center.

The 6-foot-7 JC transfer drained a 3-point shot from the left angle with 11 seconds left to give the Utes the victory, which came after Utah looked dead and buried, down 16 points with just 14 minutes left in the game.

Josh Watkins, who had given the Utes (7-3) their first lead 18 seconds earlier with a pair of free throws, drove down the right side of the lane and found Clyburn all by his lonesome and 21 feet from the basket.

"I didn't know if the ball was coming to me or (Chris) Hines, but I knew one of us was going to hit it," said Clyburn. "It came to me and I stepped up and hit a good shot. I thought it was going to be short when it left my hands, but it went in."

Watkins wasn't surprised he was guarded well when he came down the lane a second time, but he knew he could find Clyburn or Hines open on the weak side.

"Coach always tells me to keep my dribble on the baseline and when I did (Will) was wide open to make the shot," said Watkins.

After Clyburn's basket, the Utes had to survive a 3-point try by BSU's Westly Perryman with five seconds left, but Shawn Glover came up with the ball after a scramble under the basket as the final seconds ticked off and the Huntsman Center crowd erupted.

Utah coach Jim Boylen was happy with how his players handled themselves in the final seconds, but more proud of how they came back from what looked like a sure defeat.

"We kept competing and grinding, which is what we talk about in our program. We stayed together and good things happened," he said. "That's the lesson here. You're never out of it, but if you keep fighting you can win a big game."

The Utes had gotten off to one of their better starts of the season, leading 17-8 in the early going, only to see the Broncos spurt ahead, thanks to the play of Daequon Montreal, who scored more points in the first half (19) than he had in a game all season. The Broncos took a 48-40 lead into halftime after going on a 27-8 run against the Utes.

Things were looking bleak for the Utes when the Broncos went up 66-50 with 14:03 left.

But the Utes wouldn't quit.