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Friday, December 3
Salt Lake City
7:00 PM MT
University of Utah
69
vs
56
Augusta State
Jensen Leads No. 20 Utes Past Augusta State, 69-56
12/3/1999 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 3, 1999
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Alex Jensen knew what he had to do.
After watching from the bench with four fouls as No. 20 Utah's lead dwindled to six points, Jensen returned to lead the Utes to a 69-56 victory over Division II Augusta State on Friday night.
"I was sitting down there and made up my mind that I needed to make something happen when I got back into the game," Jensen said.
The 6-foot-9 senior outscored the Jaguars 7-4 over a two-minute stretch to put the game away. He was 9-for-11 from the field in a 25-point performance and added 10 rebounds.
"It's Al who is leading the team ... and he leads by example not with his voice," Utah coach Rick Majerus said.
Jensen completed a three-point play with 3:34 left, scored on another driving layup on the next possession, and added two free throws with 1:32 to play.
Festus Hawkins, who transferred after starting for Illinois last season, scored 13 points for Division II Augusta State (3-4) before fouling out with 7:30 to play.
Even without their big center, the Jaguars made an 8-4 run capped by an emphatic dunk by Oliver Ottley to make it 58-52 with 3:49 remaining.
Tony Harvey, who was relegated to a reserve role after Utah's 74-62 loss to Weber State on Wednesday night, scored 10 points for the Utes. Center Nate Althoff also added 10 points.
With 11:12 left in the first half, a collision between Althoff and Hawkins sent the Utes center to the locker room with a sprained knee.
Majerus, who was visibly upset with the physical play, sent seldom-used walk-on Brandon Sluga to battle Hawkins. The 6-4 Sluga picked up two fouls in two minutes, bumping with the 6-10 Hawkins on every possession.
"I thought it was a cheap shot," Majerus said. "I wanted Brandon to go in there and clock the guy back. I hate dirty basketball, but retaliatory basketball is necessary. Otherwise, you become a pin cushion."
Hawkins said it was not a cheap shot.
"Nothing was on purpose. I didn't even know I ran into (Althoff)," Hawkins said. "But after that it was obvious they were going after me with this little guy (Sluga)."
Althoff, who has been limited with a strained back, received treatment and returned before the end of the half.
The scrappy Jaguars stayed with the Utes in the first half and trailed by just four at 24-20 after Hawkins hit back-to-back baseline jumpers. Utah's biggest lead of the half was the 33-25 margin at intermission.
"We didn't win the game," Augusta coach Gary Tuell said, "but we left the building with respect and that was more than I could have asked for."
The Utes extended their home winning streak to 38 games.
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