In two seasons, Utah head coach Jim Boylen has talked a lot about toughness. Last Saturday’s loss to Division II Southwest Baptist was punch to his team’s gut. Tuesday night, the Utes responded.
Luke Nevill earned his second consecutive double-double, netting 20 points and 14 rebounds, and three other Utes scored in double figures as the U men’s basketball team won its first game of the season, 79-60 over Green Bay.
With the win, the Utes avoided dropping their opening two home games for the second time in three years.
“I’m proud of my team. I talk a lot about adversity and it was a tough weekend,” said head coach Jim Boylen about the Utes’ opening loss to Division II Southwest Baptist. “It bothered my guys a lot that they lost that game and they responded.”
While outsized, the Phoenix had a gritty first half and only trailed the Utes 34-33. Then Carlon Brown erupted.
Brown’s slam duck, followed by a reverse layup8212;both of which resulted in free throws8212;highlighted a 24-10 second-half run that sealed Utah its first win of the season.
“When Carlon dunked it over their point guard that was the point the game really shifted for us,” said point guard Luka Drca, who finished with 16 points and six assists. “That was the turning point for us, it got us really pumped up.”
Brown finished with 13 points and three assists, and also had a gutsy block on the other end of the floor that sent him crashing into the base of the basketball standard. Lawrence Bohra was the other Ute to score in double figures, finishing with 12.
“That is how we need to play,” Boylen said. “Your going to see us have different leading scorers on different nights.”
While several Utes had breakout performances on offense, defense was once again the story for Utah.
After playing sluggish defense in the loss to Southwest Baptist on Saturday, the Utah defense looked to be much improved as it held Green Bay to 33 percent shooting on the night, with Terry Evans leading the way for the Phoenix with 15 points.
“Our defense kept us in there until we had our spurt and that is how we have to play,” Boylen said.
In fact, Green Bay did not make a field goal in the final five minutes of the game. The Utes closed with a 13-4 run with Green Bay’s only four points coming from free throws.
Boylen also said he expects to see a lot more of the balanced attack the Utes employed tonight from the team this season.
After a sluggish first half that saw five lead changes, Utah never surrendered the lead in the second and used a 54.2 percent shooting percentage in that half to run away with the score.
Next up for the Utes is a road trip to Daytona, Fla., to take part in the Glen Wilkes Classic. First up for the Utes is Mississippi on Friday, followed by Morgan State on Saturday.
Anna KartashovaCarlon Brown scored 13 points in the Utes 79-60 win over Green Bay Tuesday night. Brown had two big dunks in the second half that helped spark the Utes.