Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round) on March 10, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 73
Final Score
Men's Basketball
66
vs No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round)
73
The University of Utah Athletics
Men's Basketball Falls to Rhode Island
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
December 2, 1998
By NANCY ARMOUR
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) - Utah coach Rick Majerus was so busy coming up with a game plan to stop Lamar Odom, he didn't give Antonio Reynolds-Dean much thought.
Reynolds-Dean made the Utes pay.
He scored 22 points and Odom added 15 as Rhode Island upset No. 21 Utah 70-63 Wednesday night in the Great Eight. Preston Murphy, who briefly left the game limping, came back to hit two huge 3-pointers as the Rams (4-3) pulled away late in the second half.
Andre Miller tied a career high with 28 points and had a Great Eight-record six steals for the Utes (3-3), who lost three starters from the team that lost to Kentucky in the NCAA championship game. But Hanno Mottola, who finished with 13, was the only other player in double-figures for Utah.
"We probably underestimated the ability of Reynolds-Dean to hit that shot," Majerus said. "I did not think Reynolds-Dean could hit that shot."
Reynolds-Dean hit just about any shot he wanted, going 10-of-16 from the field and 2-of-3 from the foul line. He capitalized when Utah double-teamed Odom, Rhode Island's leading scorer with a 14.7 average.
"When they doubled Lamar, we had put in some new plays and there were more open shots for me," Reynolds-Dean said. "In the first half, I hit two and that was all I needed and I was on my way."
When the buzzer sounded, Odom pumped his fist and screamed as he ran past the Utah bench. The Rhode Island players lingered by their bench for a few minutes, hugging and rubbing each other's heads.
"We had lost some confidence," coach Jim Harrick said. "We lost a very winnable game against Wisconsin. We really needed this one."
After trailing by 12 midway through the first half, the Rams ended the first half down just 36-35. Miller and Mottola combined for eight points as the Utes pulled ahead 46-39, but Odom hit back-to-back jumpers to cut the lead to 46-45.
Reynolds-Dean gave the Rams their first lead since early in the first half with a layup between two huge Utes. And then Odom let fly with what might have been the best shot of the night. Standing practically on top of Rhode Island's mascot near the sideline, with several NBA scouts and coaches watching, he shot a 3-pointer that swished cleanly through the net.
"It was a great opportunity for me and my team," Odom said. "I always tell them when the scouts come to see me, they see you, too."
Miller's three-point play, and a reverse, one-hand tip-in gave the Utes a 51-50 lead, but it would be their last of the night. Murphy, who sprained his left ankle in the season-opener and appeared to hurt it again diving for a loose ball, made sure of that.
Murphy, who finished 3-of-4 from 3-point range and had 13 points, hit a 3-pointer with 3:37 left that gave Rhode Island a 55-51 lead. He hit another to make it 62-54, and Reynolds-Dean put the game away for good with a tip of Odom's missed 3-pointer with 2:54 left.
"We're not attacking the zone well," Miller said. "All the games we've lost have been against zone. We have to be more aggressive. Guys are too worried that coach will take them out if they miss a shot."
The Utes didn't look tentative early. Majerus sent a series of small players at Odom, bumping and brushing him whether he had the ball or not. The pressure seemed to work, as Odom picked up two early fouls.
With Odom on the bench, the Utes went on an 11-0 run. But when Utah switched to a lineup with three freshmen, they seemed to lose some of their aggressiveness and the Rams rallied.
"I think I've got them too tight on offense," Majerus said. "They're trying to do so much the right thing rather than just playing."
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