Second Half Woes Lead to Heartache at USC for the Runnin' Utes

Thursday, January 30

Los Angeles, CA

7:30 PM

University of Utah

12-8,3-5Pac-12

USC

17-4,6-2Pac-12

Utah

Southern California

Photo by: Alina Rogers

Second Half Woes Lead to Heartache at USC for the Runnin' Utes

1/30/2020 11:17 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Utah men’s basketball team dropped a tough game down the stretch Thursday night to USC, 56-52.

LOS ANGELES – A long scoring drought late in the second half saw the University of Utah men's basketball drop a tough 56-52 game at USC Thursday night inside the Galen Center.

The Utes had one of its better starts on the road in conference play, drilling back-to-back triples from Rylan Jones and Jaxon Brenchley – who made his second start of the season. The Utes (12-8, 3-5 Pac-12) then went on an 8-0 run to lead 14-4 before USC finally managed to get a couple baskets heading into the 7:07 media break with Utah ahead 16-11.

USC then cut Utah's lead to 21-18 at the under four media break before SoCal native Riley Battin and Brenchley went back-to-back from 3-point range to give the Utes a 29-23 edge heading into the locker room.

.@battin_riley hits his first ?? of the night in his return to SoCal!

?? 21 | ?? 18#GoUtes???? #Pac12Hoops pic.twitter.com/uEVkr1weeN
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) January 31, 2020

The second half didn't see either team shoot particularly well but with Utah leading the home team 40-31, USC (17-4, 6-2 Pac-12) reeled off a 10-0 run and got its first lead of the game – which forced a Ute timeout with 7:13 left to play and trailing 43-40.

Rylan Jones ended the 6:22 scoring drought for Utah with two free throws at the 6:12 mark and brought the Trojan lead to 43-42.

After a reverse lay-in from Branden Carlson on the low block, Timmy Allen tied things up 46-46. However, the sophomore couldn't convert the and-1 to give Utah the lead back with 3:46 left to play.

What a sequence by @UtahMBB to put them up by 2 with a minute left to play ???? pic.twitter.com/kjG5si4OAw
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 31, 2020

From there, both teams exchanged points until there was 55 ticks left in the game when Jonah Mathews tied it up once last time at 52-52 for USC after knocking down two at the line. Carlson had a chance to give the Utes the lead on the ensuing possession but was unable to covert on either free throw before Nick Rakocevic put USC ahead 54-52 with 20 seconds remaining on an Onyeka Okongwu miss.

A timeout by the Utes with 15.7 on the clock allowed Utah to draw up one last play, but a drive to the rack by Allen saw him blocked by Okongwu – who wound up with the rebound and was fouled immediately. He then iced the game after knocking down both free-throws for the Trojans.

Allen led the Utes Thursday night with 13 points and nine boards while Carlson added 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Battin was a rebound short of a double-double just like Allen, posting 10 points and nine boards with Jones rounding things out with 10 points of his own.

BY THE NUMBERS
Both Utah and USC honored the late Kobe Bryant as both squads stepped onto the floor with warm-ups honoring the Los Angeles Laker icon … Utah moved to 24-20 all-time against USC in the loss and 8-11 when playing in Los Angeles … Thursday's loss is just the third time the Utes have fallen to USC in Los Angeles since joining the Pac-12 … it is the second-straight game Utah has had four players register double-digits … Utah was 8-1 when scoring first this season and 10-0 when leading at the half before falling to the Trojans tonight … the Utes turned 12 offensive boards into a 12-4 edge in second-chance points.

For Kobe. ????#MambaForever pic.twitter.com/BGoJMnR3Q7
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) January 31, 2020

For Kobe and Gigi. pic.twitter.com/hYU8flasFo
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) January 31, 2020

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Larry Krystkowiak
Opening Statement…
"Yeah… we didn't make enough shots, 18-for-55 from the field. I was super proud of our guys defensively, out rebounded them. You know, there's just little meat left on the bone I thought. One position where we had four wide-open threes and missed them all. So, I think you guys are playing a game the right way, but we just have to be a little bit better. Had some costly fouls, missed costly free throws. Always a tough one to swallow whenever you lose."

UP NEXT
The Utes remain on the road and now head to Westwood where it'll get an extra day of prep before taking on the UCLA Bruins on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. (MT) on FS1. Alex Faust will have the call on Super Bowl Sunday while former Bruin head coach Steve Lavin serves as the analyst.

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