Free throws got the their name because they are shots that are free of defenders. In Utah point guard Tyler Kepkay’s case, they might as well be free points.
Kepkay went a perfect 8-for-8 down the stretch to stop a resilient Missouri State team from making a late comeback. Luke Nevill led Utah with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists as the Utes beat the Bears 66-54 on Saturday afternoon at the Huntsman Center.
“I thought we beat a very good team, a very physical team,” Utah head coach Jim Boylen said. “Big win for our program today. Free throws were big for us. We got the ball in the right guy’s hands. Kepkay thrives in that position.”
The Utes showed no signs of rust despite a week layoff from their last game as they tended to academic responsibilities during Finals Week. With Utes sitting on an early 10-9 lead, a Nevill tip-in sparked a 18-4 run that put Utah up 26-13 with under six minutes to play in the first half. The Ute defense forced six Bear turnovers — most of which were of the traveling variety — to hold Missouri State to just one basket during a seven-minute stretch midway through the first half. The Utes led 37-20 at halftime — the lowest point-total they’ve held an opponent to in any half this season.
“I’ll take that as a compliment that we didn’t come out rusty,” Boylen said. “We practice hard and I demand a lot out of my guys.”
Going into the game, Boylen knew there was a reason Missouri State had four straight 20-win seasons. In the second half, the Bears showed why the first-year Utah coach considered the Bears a NCAA championship-caliber team.
“We started getting ‘happy feet,'” Boylen said. “When things start going our way, we get casual and I don’t believe in happy feet. I told my team at halftime (Missouri State) isn’t laying down. They didn’t and you have to give them credit for that.”
Missouri State opened the half with a 15-4 run to transform what looked to be a blowout into a more competitive game. After allowing the Bears to cut its lead to seven, Utah went on an 8-0 run of its own. Supported by one of Luke Nevill’s most aggressive performances of the season, the Utes relinquished their double-digit only one other time.
“The story line for me was Luke Nevill,” Boylen said. “I thought he competed for all 33 minutes that he played. He was more physical and he had a great week of practice. When Luke Nevill plays competitive basketball, we can be very good.”
The Utes let Missouri State creep back within nine at 52-43, before Kepkay sealed the win with eight-straight free throws.
Being a sure thing from the free-throw line isn’t something new for Kepkay. When he was at Eastern Utah, Kepkay — who could be a spokesman for Cool Water cologne — once hit 130-straight free throws at a practice session. Kepkay’s personal best during a game is an 18-straight performance last season. He credits a tribute to his dad as the cooling mechanism for his success at the charity stripe.
“I just say my dad’s name,” Kepkay said. “Someone told me to say a word when you shoot a free throw to calm you down. I just say my dad’s name Dave.”
Dave’s son and the Utes will next face the Cal Bears in Berkeley, Calif., on Dec. 22. Their next home game is against Idaho State on Dec. 27.
Notes: This was the first meeting between Missouri State and Utah. Kepkay’s 16 points were the third consecutive time he has scored in double figures. Utah went 17-18 from the foul line. Missouri State only went to the charity stripe six times and made half their attempts. Drew Richards, one of the Bears best players, was held to just nine points as Utah spent a significant amount of their defensive effort fronting the Missouri State forward.