Utah Utes basketball notebook: Cyphers does job as 3-point specialist

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Going into Friday night's game, Ute freshman Jordan Cyphers had played a grand total of four minutes in two games and had missed his only 3-point tries.

According to coach Jim Boylen, Cyphers was recruited to Utah to make 3-pointers and when he got his chance against Mississippi, he came through.

The 6-4 guard from Wichita, made 4-of-7 3-pointers, including three straight in less than 90 seconds in the second half to help the Utes to an impressive 83-72 victory.

"Coach always tells me if I'm open shoot it, and tonight I was open so I shot it," Cyphers said. "I knew he was going to call my number soon and I was staying ready on the bench. Tonight everything was going right, I was in the right spot and my teammates found me."

Boylen wasn't surprised Cyphers came through in a 16-minute stint Friday that included two rebounds and a steal besides his 12 points.

"That's what Jordan can do," Boylen said. "I said when I recruited him 'we can use your shooting right now.' Tonight he looked like that guy. He's improved defensively and he made the plays. You've got to give him credit ..."

After making his first 3-pointer to put the Utes up 14-13, Cyphers missed his next three shots.

He entered the game in the second half with the Utes up 54-46 and sank a three from the right corner at the 15:19 mark, one from the left corner at the 14:45 mark and one from the right angle at the 14:06 mark to push Utah's lead to 13.

In all the Utes sank 12 of 25 from 3-point range with Shaun Green breaking out of a mini-slump to sink 5 of 8.

"I wasn't really frustrated," said Green, who was just 2 of 9 from 3-point range in the first two games. "My teammates and my coaches all kept me confident. I wasn't missing shots badly and they told me to keep shooting when I was open. That's what I did tonight and they happened to fall for me.