Runnin' Utes Defeat Whitman College In Exhibition Season Opener

Saturday, November 5

Salt Lake City, Utah

5:00 PM

University of Utah

Whitman (Exb.)

Runnin' Utes Defeat Whitman College In Exhibition Season Opener

11/5/2005 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Nov. 5, 2005

Box Score | Quotes

SALT LAKE CITY - Senior forward Bryant Markson scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Utah men's basketball team to a 77-54 victory over Whitman College in its exhibition season opener.

Both of Utah's centers also scored in double figures. Senior Chris Jackson had 12 points and redshirt freshman Luke Nevill posted 11. Freshman forward Shaun Green pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Markson, a preseason all-Mountain West Conference selection, made 10-of-13 shots from the field. He also hauled in seven rebounds and had three steals.

The Utes shot 52.5 percent from the field and had a 47-30 advantage on the boards. Utah also had 18 assists and 10 steals. Senior point guard Tim Drisdom led the Utes with six assists and scored eight points. Sophomore guard Johnnie Bryant had five assists.

Whitman College, and NCAA Division III program, shot 32.3 percent from the field and converted 10-of-29 three-pointers. Ian Warner led the Missionaries with 13 points, sinking 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Matt Kelly scored nine points, while Greg Ricker had eight points and eight assists.

Nevill cut down the lane, took a pass from Jonas Langvad and slam dunked to give Utah a 28-15 lead with 7:16 to play in the first half. Ricky Johns hit a jumper with just over four minutes left to increase Utah's lead to 34-18.

Kelly swished a pair of three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to bring the Missionaries within seven points at 40-33 two and a half minutes out of halftime. However, the Utes responded with an 11-2 run to build the lead back to 51-35 with just less than 15 minutes to play. Jackson had a layup and a dunk during the run.

Jackson pushed the Utah lead to over 20 points (69-48) with a layup at the 5:40 mark. He made all six field goals and pulled down five rebounds in 17 minutes.

Utah plays its final exhibition game against Northwest Nazarene College on Monday, Nov. 14 at 7:00 p.m.