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Men's Basketball
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Saturday, March 7
Salt Lake City, UT
12:30 PM
University of Utah
16-14,7-11Pac-12
74
vs
72
Colorado
21-10,10-8Pac-12
1
2
OT 1
F
Colorado
41
23
8
72
Utah
33
31
10
74
Photo by: Rob Gray
Men's Basketball Outlasts Colorado in OT Behind Gach and Plummer
3/7/2020 4:41 PM | Men's Basketball
The Utah men’s basketball team outlasted Colorado in OT behind 28 points and 21 points from Both Gach and Alfonso Plummer, respectively.
SALT LAKE CITY – Cool. Calm. Collected. Words that described University of Utah men's basketball sophomore Both Gach when he headed to the line and knocked down three-straight free throws to give Utah the 74-72 overtime victory against #RV Colorado Saturday afternoon inside a raucous Jon M. Huntsman Center.
With the win, the Utes are looking at the No. 9 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament next week and set to play in the 1 p.m. (MT) / Noon (PT) local game on Pac-12 Networks against the No. 8 seeded Oregon State Beavers.
After knocking down the game-tying bucket for the second-consecutive game, Gach this time scored five of Utah's 10 points in the extra period – including the game-winning free throws with 0.6 seconds left to play.
Mikael Jantunen got the Utes (16-14, 7-11 Pac-12) in overtime, when Riley Battin found him for an easy lay-in followed by a nice jumper for Gach. A 6-0 run by the Buffaloes gave CU the 70-68 advantage before Plummer tied things up with an 18-footer. Colorado's McKinley Wright IV put the bad guys back on top 72-70 before Utah called a timeout with 17.1 left to go.
Timmy Allen then went 1-of-2 from the line to put the U within 72-71 of the Buffs ( 21-10, 10-8 Pac-12) with nine seconds remaining before Wright IV missed the front-end of a 1-and-1, which set up Gach's heroics at the charity stripe.
Trailing 12-6, the Utes finally found their rhythm after the 14:45 media timeout and slowly cut into the Colorado lead as the half went on behind Gach – who scored 16 of Utah's 33 points in the first half. The charge for Utah really began after Plummer drilled a triple followed by three free throws from Gach – which brought them within 28-22 and 7:41 left in the frame.
The Utes got as close as 36-33 in the first frame on a fast break lay-in from Gach, but the Buffaloes closed out the half with a 5-0 run and put Utah behind 41-33 heading into the locker room.
Utah opened the second stanza much better than it did starting the game, jumping out to a 7-0 run and cut the Colorado lead to 41-40 after a corner three from Plummer forced CU to call timeout just 2:16 into the half. Down 46-42 out of the 15:32 media timeout, another trey from Plummer followed by a great pass from Gach to Allen gave the Utes their first lead of the game 47-46. However, it was short-lived after Wright IV knocked down a triple on the ensuing possession.
That three was the start of a 9-0 run for the Buffaloes before Allen found a diving Plummer on the baseline for the reverse layup that put an end to the Utah scoring drought heading in the 7:41 break trailing 55-49. A 6-2 spurt brought Utah within 57-55 thanks to Allen and Both. Gach then hit a baseline jumper and made it 59-57 before a timeout by Utah at the 3:26 mark.
An offensive board from Mikael Jantunen led a critical triple from Plummer and gave Utah once again a short-lived, 60-59, lead before Tyler Bey's 5-foot jumper put CU back on top 61-60 with 1:33 left to play. A loose ball foul on Colorado then saw Jantunen knock down both free throws for the 62-61 edge with 46 ticks left to play.
CU's Bey converted on a 3-point play put Utah behind 64-62 with 19 seconds left before a nice spin move in the low block by Gach sent the game into overtime.
Gach ended the afternoon with a career-high 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists with a pair of steals behind 8-of-9 shooting from the line. Plummer was near his career-high he set just last week, scoring 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from downtown. Allen nearly had a double-double, posting 10 points with eight rebounds for the Utes.
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah is now 57-44 (.564) all-time in overtime games and 11-8 all-time under head coach Larry Krystkowiak … the last time Utah had back-to-back OT games was in 1981 … second-straight game Utah has had two players score 20-plus points … 3-1 mark in OT games this year is most since 2015-16 squad (3-1) … Utah starters scored all but 3 points Saturday night … Plummer has now hit five 3-pointers in three of the last four games … freshman Brandon Haddock saw action for the first time since San Diego State on Dec. 21 … 11 rebounds was a new career-high for Jantunen … Krystkowiak is now 11-8 all-time against CU … Utah moves to 16-8 all-time against Colorado at home.
QUOTEABLE
Head Coach Larry Krystkowiak
On Both Gach's Clutch play…
"It was big time...it was very big time. Not everybody is built for those moments. Last couple of games he's stepped up when the moments are the biggest. Both puts a lot of time in behind the scenes. A few weeks ago I came in during an early morning, heard the ball bouncing, and it was Both down there working on his game. A lot of the success that he has is because he's earned it."
On Mikael Jantunen's hustle plays…
"Rebounding wise he had double digits. I thought he did a great job defensively against some big bodies. He played them hard, and he beat guys to some spots. We had to step up and help and he was there to defend behind them. He did a nice job defensively. I don't think it's a question of him playing hard because he always does that."
On Alfonso Plummer's surge lately…
"Alphonso has been playing great, from an offensive efficiency point of view, he makes me look pretty silly that he wasn't out there earlier. Better late than never. He's got resolve and that's kind of our team word."
Junior guard #25 Alfonso Plummer
On making his first-career start this afternoon…
"I'm blessed. I'm happy for my work. I think I'm getting better and I'm helping the team everyday so I'm just blessed and happy to be in my position right now."
Sophomore guard #11 Both Gach
On his comfortability playing the point with Rylan Jones out…
"You can say that I feel like I'm being myself. Just being able to make plays for myself and for my teammates."
UP NEXT
The Utes will face the eighth-seeded Beavers of Oregon State in the opening game of the Pac-12 Tournament – which is set to begin on Wednesday, March 11, at Noon (PT) local / 1 p.m. (MT) inside T-Mobile Arena. Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean will have the call on the game while Ashley Adamson serves as the sideline reporter on Pac-12 Networks. Should Utah get past OSU, it will face a formidable foe who has had its number in the conference tournament in the top-seeded Ducks of Oregon on Thursday, March 12, at Noon (PT) / 1 p.m. (MT) on Pac-12 Networks.
With the win, the Utes are looking at the No. 9 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament next week and set to play in the 1 p.m. (MT) / Noon (PT) local game on Pac-12 Networks against the No. 8 seeded Oregon State Beavers.
After knocking down the game-tying bucket for the second-consecutive game, Gach this time scored five of Utah's 10 points in the extra period – including the game-winning free throws with 0.6 seconds left to play.
Mikael Jantunen got the Utes (16-14, 7-11 Pac-12) in overtime, when Riley Battin found him for an easy lay-in followed by a nice jumper for Gach. A 6-0 run by the Buffaloes gave CU the 70-68 advantage before Plummer tied things up with an 18-footer. Colorado's McKinley Wright IV put the bad guys back on top 72-70 before Utah called a timeout with 17.1 left to go.
Timmy Allen then went 1-of-2 from the line to put the U within 72-71 of the Buffs ( 21-10, 10-8 Pac-12) with nine seconds remaining before Wright IV missed the front-end of a 1-and-1, which set up Gach's heroics at the charity stripe.
Trailing 12-6, the Utes finally found their rhythm after the 14:45 media timeout and slowly cut into the Colorado lead as the half went on behind Gach – who scored 16 of Utah's 33 points in the first half. The charge for Utah really began after Plummer drilled a triple followed by three free throws from Gach – which brought them within 28-22 and 7:41 left in the frame.
?????? @AlfonsoPlummer9
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) March 7, 2020
??@Pac12Network#GoUtes???? pic.twitter.com/HwT65yYkTx
The Utes got as close as 36-33 in the first frame on a fast break lay-in from Gach, but the Buffaloes closed out the half with a 5-0 run and put Utah behind 41-33 heading into the locker room.
Utah opened the second stanza much better than it did starting the game, jumping out to a 7-0 run and cut the Colorado lead to 41-40 after a corner three from Plummer forced CU to call timeout just 2:16 into the half. Down 46-42 out of the 15:32 media timeout, another trey from Plummer followed by a great pass from Gach to Allen gave the Utes their first lead of the game 47-46. However, it was short-lived after Wright IV knocked down a triple on the ensuing possession.
That three was the start of a 9-0 run for the Buffaloes before Allen found a diving Plummer on the baseline for the reverse layup that put an end to the Utah scoring drought heading in the 7:41 break trailing 55-49. A 6-2 spurt brought Utah within 57-55 thanks to Allen and Both. Gach then hit a baseline jumper and made it 59-57 before a timeout by Utah at the 3:26 mark.
An offensive board from Mikael Jantunen led a critical triple from Plummer and gave Utah once again a short-lived, 60-59, lead before Tyler Bey's 5-foot jumper put CU back on top 61-60 with 1:33 left to play. A loose ball foul on Colorado then saw Jantunen knock down both free throws for the 62-61 edge with 46 ticks left to play.
ALFONSO PLUMMER?????? @AlfonsoPlummer9#Utes lead 60-59 with 2:33 left to play. #GoUtes???? pic.twitter.com/bZzKB9nMdw
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) March 7, 2020
CU's Bey converted on a 3-point play put Utah behind 64-62 with 19 seconds left before a nice spin move in the low block by Gach sent the game into overtime.
.@TutBoth ?????? goes for the 2 to take us into OT.
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) March 7, 2020
??@Pac12Network#GoUtes???? pic.twitter.com/d5jf86M325
Gach ended the afternoon with a career-high 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists with a pair of steals behind 8-of-9 shooting from the line. Plummer was near his career-high he set just last week, scoring 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from downtown. Allen nearly had a double-double, posting 10 points with eight rebounds for the Utes.
It's a GREAT day to be a #Ute!#GoUtes???? pic.twitter.com/XwkaLfgy25
— Utah Basketball?? (@UtahMBB) March 7, 2020
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah is now 57-44 (.564) all-time in overtime games and 11-8 all-time under head coach Larry Krystkowiak … the last time Utah had back-to-back OT games was in 1981 … second-straight game Utah has had two players score 20-plus points … 3-1 mark in OT games this year is most since 2015-16 squad (3-1) … Utah starters scored all but 3 points Saturday night … Plummer has now hit five 3-pointers in three of the last four games … freshman Brandon Haddock saw action for the first time since San Diego State on Dec. 21 … 11 rebounds was a new career-high for Jantunen … Krystkowiak is now 11-8 all-time against CU … Utah moves to 16-8 all-time against Colorado at home.
QUOTEABLE
Head Coach Larry Krystkowiak
On Both Gach's Clutch play…
"It was big time...it was very big time. Not everybody is built for those moments. Last couple of games he's stepped up when the moments are the biggest. Both puts a lot of time in behind the scenes. A few weeks ago I came in during an early morning, heard the ball bouncing, and it was Both down there working on his game. A lot of the success that he has is because he's earned it."
On Mikael Jantunen's hustle plays…
"Rebounding wise he had double digits. I thought he did a great job defensively against some big bodies. He played them hard, and he beat guys to some spots. We had to step up and help and he was there to defend behind them. He did a nice job defensively. I don't think it's a question of him playing hard because he always does that."
On Alfonso Plummer's surge lately…
"Alphonso has been playing great, from an offensive efficiency point of view, he makes me look pretty silly that he wasn't out there earlier. Better late than never. He's got resolve and that's kind of our team word."
Junior guard #25 Alfonso Plummer
On making his first-career start this afternoon…
"I'm blessed. I'm happy for my work. I think I'm getting better and I'm helping the team everyday so I'm just blessed and happy to be in my position right now."
Sophomore guard #11 Both Gach
On his comfortability playing the point with Rylan Jones out…
"You can say that I feel like I'm being myself. Just being able to make plays for myself and for my teammates."
UP NEXT
The Utes will face the eighth-seeded Beavers of Oregon State in the opening game of the Pac-12 Tournament – which is set to begin on Wednesday, March 11, at Noon (PT) local / 1 p.m. (MT) inside T-Mobile Arena. Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean will have the call on the game while Ashley Adamson serves as the sideline reporter on Pac-12 Networks. Should Utah get past OSU, it will face a formidable foe who has had its number in the conference tournament in the top-seeded Ducks of Oregon on Thursday, March 12, at Noon (PT) / 1 p.m. (MT) on Pac-12 Networks.
###
Team Stats
CU
Utah
FG%
.438
.397
3FG%
.250
.333
FT%
.750
.842
RB
37
40
TO
10
11
STL
7
6
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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