Runnin' Utes Drop Heartbreaker in Berkeley

Saturday, February 29

Berkeley, CA

4:00 PM

University of Utah

15-14,6-11Pac-12

California

13-16,7-9Pac-12

OT 1

Utah

California

Photo by: Alina Rogers

2/29/2020 7:08 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Utah men’s basketball team dropped a heartbreak Saturday at Haas Pavilion in overtime, 86-79.

BERKELEY, Calif. – It was a valiant effort by the University of Utah men's basketball team Saturday afternoon inside Haas Pavilion as it dropped a heartbreaking 86-79 overtime contest at California despite a career-high 23 points from Alfonso Plummer, 26 points from Timmy Allen and 19 points from Both Gach.

With Cal never taking a double-digit lead, it allowed the Utes to hang in the game throughout the second half. That allowed Utah's (15-14, 6-11 Pac-12) trio of Allen, Gach and Plummer get hot from the floor and each register double-digits points in the final 20 minutes of regulations. Plummer, who scored 10 of his 23 points in the second frame – including a critical 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining to bring the Utes within 68-67 of the Golden Bears before Gach hit both free throws with two ticks left on the clock to send the game into overtime.

After exchanging baskets in the opening sequences of overtime, Cal reeled off a 5-0 run that put it on top 76-71 and never relinquished the two-possession lead. Turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim eventually doomed the Utes in the extra period despite a pair of Cal (13-16, 7-9 Pac-12) players fouling out.

It was a slow start to the game for the Utes but after going down 8-2 at the 15:56 media break, Utah's offense woke up and went on an 8-0 run before Cal's Matt Bradley knocked down a three to put the Golden Bears back up 11-10 at the 10:35 mark.

After Utah's timeout with 5:35 left in the first half, a 14-7 run led by Plummer's 10 points in the first half saw the Utes head into the locker room on top 28-24. The four turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of action was the lowest of the season for Utah.

In addition to his 26 points, Allen also added eight rebounds and three assists on 10-of-16 shooting. Plummer hit five triples from the floor once again, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc while Gach added six rebounds to his 19 points.

BY THE NUMBERS
Saturday was the first time Utah has had two players register 20-plus points in a game since Allen and Rylan Jones did it against BYU on Dec. 4 … Gach was 2-of-4 from downtown, the first time he's hit multiple threes since draining four against Oregon (1/4) at home … Utes allowed Cal to pull down 18 offensive rebounds for a 20-6 edge in second-chance points ... Utah is now 23-25 all-time in extra period times on the road and 56-44 in overtime period games … Jones left the game in the first half with an injury and never returned.

UP NEXT
The Utes return home to the friendly confines of the Jon M. Huntsman Center for the final time this season and play host to Colorado for an early 12:30 p.m. (MT) tip-off on Saturday, March 7, on the Pac-12 Network. Ted Robinson will have the call between the Utes and Buffs while Matt Muehlebach serves as the analyst.

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