Utah Utes basketball notebook: DuBois comes up big in clutch for Utes

With Dedmon out, the Trojans started Omar Oraby, a 7-foot-2 center from Egypt who had averaged just 5.9 points in 13 minutes of action per game this year.

However, Oraby can’t be blamed for the USC loss. He led his team with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a season-high 35 minutes and helped hold Utah center Jason Washburn to 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting.

“Omar played a great game with the minutes he played,’’ coach Cantu said. “I thought Omar did a great job on Washburn. We were trying to get him to shoot over the top of him and use his length at 7-2.’’

TOURNEY NOTES: Cal, Utah’s opponent Thursday night, defeated the Utes twice during the regular season, 62-57 in Salt Lake City and 64-46 at Berkeley two weeks ago. … The Colorado-Arizona game should be interesting, since the Buffaloes feel they should be 2-0 against the Wildcats this year, winning handily in Boulder after having a last-second winning shot waved off in Tucson. … In Arizona State’s 89-88 overtime victory over Stanford, the Sun Devils went with the same five players for nearly the whole game as four starters played at least 43 minutes and reserve Evan Gordon played 38 minutes. … The loss was Stanford’s fifth by three points or fewer this year. … Stanford shot just one free throw compared to 17 for Arizona State. … Utah went 18 for 21 from the free-throw line compared to 7 of 9 for USC.