To compete with No. 22 ranked Alabama Monday night on ESPN2, the Utah men’s basketball team needed to have an answer for the Crimson Tide’s quickness and defensive pressure. Utah also had to combat its own shooting problems that led to a 78-65 loss to Utah State last Friday. To complicate matters, Alabama was nearly unbeatable at its Coleman Coliseum, going 17-1 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last year.
All that added up to a 76-61 defeat for the Utes, their second straight loss.
The Utes opened ugly and sluggish from the tip. They coughed the ball up on their opening three possessions and had 14 turnovers in the first half. On the other end, Tide center Kenny Walker scored the game’s first seven points.
The Utes finally got on the board on a Chris Burgess slam with 16:28 to go, but turnovers led to more Alabama buckets.
Hoops by Rod Grizzard and Erwin Dudley put the score 12 2. A basket by Reggie Rambo and an old-fashioned three point play by Grizzard put Alabama up 20-5.
The pressure was getting to the U. At the midway point in the half, Utah had more turnovers (11) than field goal attempts (9).
Still, Utah was within eight at 23-15 after a Nick Jacobson 3 pointer with 8:04 left. It would be the last time the Tide lead was single digits.
More cool Ute shooting before the half (1-9 from 3 point range at that point) and a couple ‘Bama threes put the lead at 42-21, the largest of the game. Utah was shooting 33 percent compared to ‘Bama’s 47 percent at half, which the Tide led 42-26.
Alabama scored the first five points of the second half and led 47-26, but Utah rallied. Britton Johnsen hit two threes and brother Jeff Johnsen also hit a trey. Utah trailed 49-35, but four fouls on Britton Johnsen sent him to the bench with 12:45 remaining.
Five straight points by the Tide’s Terrance Meade increased ‘Bama’s lead to 62 41 with 9:23 left. A technical foul on U coach Rick Majerus minutes later further padded the lead.
Two free throws by Utah reserve Lance Allred cut it to 63-49, but the Crimson Tide cruised to the 15-point win.
Utah had trouble with the athletic, 6-foot-8 guard Grizzard. He scored 16 points and snared 11 rebounds, but teammate Meade led all scorers with 18.
Jeff Johnsen led Utah with 11 points and 5 boards, while brother Britton had 10 points.