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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Runnin’ Utes Get Swept on the Road After 76-66 Loss at Oregon

Elgin+Cool+%2823%29+is+fouled+on+a+made+layup.+The+16+ranked+Oregon+Ducks+host+the+Utah+Utes+on+February+7%2C+2016+at+Matthew+Knight+Arena+in+Eugene%2C+Oregon.+%28Samuel+Marshall%2FEmerald%29
Elgin Cool (23) is fouled on a made layup. The 16 ranked Oregon Ducks host the Utah Utes on February 7, 2016 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)

A late-game run couldn’t combat a sloppy start to the second half as the Runnin’ Utes lost 76-66 to Oregon in Eugene.

Taking on the top team in the Pac-12 on the road, Utah finished the game shooting 50 percent from the floor. The Utes turned the ball over 14 times and the Ducks took advantage of this, scoring 19 points off these turnovers, whereas Utah was only able to get five points off of Oregon’s eight turnovers.

Utah assistant coach DeMarlo Slocum knows each one of the turnovers was costly and it is something the Utes cannot afford to do later on.

Elgin Cook (23) looks up to score a basket. The 16 ranked Oregon Ducks host the Utah Utes on February 7, 2016 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)
Elgin Cook (23) looks up to score a basket. The 16 ranked Oregon Ducks host the Utah Utes on February 7, 2016 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)

“This team is so dynamic in transition if you turn it over and take long quick threes and let them get out on the run and be athletic like they are,” Slocum said in a postgame interview with ESPN 700. “You just can’t guard turnovers. Had a couple of catastrophic turnovers early.”

Jordan Loveridge had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyle Kuzma had 18 points and six rebounds. Jakob Poeltl finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Utah didn’t start the game in an ideal way. Poeltl fouled within the first minute and after a three-point play from the Ducks, the Utes were called for a 10-second backcourt violation.

Despite the sloppy play, Kuzma was keeping the Utes afloat, as he attacked the basket and had Utah’s first four points of the contest. After a three pointer from Loveridge, Utah took an early 7-6 lead, but it didn’t last long as Oregon quickly scored a pair of buckets to go up by three points.

Dillon Brooks (24) rises up for a three-pointer over Kyle Kuzma (35) of Utah. The 16 ranked Oregon Ducks host the Utah Utes on February 7, 2016 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)
Dillon Brooks (24) rises up for a three-pointer over Kyle Kuzma (35) of Utah. The 16 ranked Oregon Ducks host the Utah Utes on February 7, 2016 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)

With Utah up 17-14, Poeltl was called for his second foul with 11:24 left in the first half, much to head coach Larry Krystkowiak’s dismay. The coach was then given a technical for yelling at the referees. Oregon went on to make both technical free throws and scored on its next possession to take a 18-17 lead.

With 8:45 left, Kuzma was called for his second foul and with Utah’s starting big men on the bench, Oregon soon found itself in control of the game with another three-point lead. Loveridge was feeling it from beyond the arc and tied the game up at 27, which the Ducks answered right away.

Poeltl re-entered the game and while he was being aggressive on offense, had to hold back on defense and the Ducks continued to maintain their lead.

At the half, Oregon lead 41-35. Utah was shooting better from the floor at 55.6 percent compared to Oregon’s 51.7 percent, but Oregon had more trips to the line than Utah. The Utes also turned the the ball over seven times and the Ducks six.

Utah turned the ball over on its first possession of the second half, then Oregon converted from deep to go up by nine points. Kuzma was soon called for his third foul, Brandon Taylor turned the ball over again and Poeltl was called for his third foul to wrap up a series of unfortunate events for the Utes.

After the Ducks came up with a few stops on defense, they soon led by 11 points, forcing Utah to call a timeout.

Gabe Bealer gave the Utes a bit of a spark late in the game to cut the lead to 11 points and after a couple of free throws from Poeltl, it was back to a single-digit game. The Utes continued to turn the ball over, however, and eventually lost.

The Utes have now dropped two games in a row and will look to bounce back Wednesday night at home against Washington.

“We’ve got to take care of home and I don’t think we can afford to take a day off,” Slocum said in a postgame interview with ESPN 700. “We’re going to go in and get back to the drawing board.”

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@kbrenneisen

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