The Utes used a career high 27-point performance from sophomore forward Jordan Loveridge to overcome a 15-point first half deficit and defeat Idaho State 74-66 Tuesday night at the Huntsman Center.
Utah (8-1) came out sluggish and the Bengals pounced on multiple chances. Idaho State caused eight turnovers in the opening period and the Utes seemed to have little answer.
“There were some possessions in the first half where we were playing hot potato,” Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “We had chances to drive, but didn’t for some reason. In the second half we got them to collapse a little and make shots from the outside.”
The Utes allowed open Bengal shot after open Bengal shot as ISU slowly but surely built up a 15-point lead. The Bengals started the game in a zone defense and never came out of it, forcing Utah to break it with outside shooting. The Utes failed to do it and looks of frustration on their faces followed.
Then, like on Saturday against Fresno State, things changed after a speech from Krystkowiak late in the first half.
“I challenged our guys,” Krystkowiak said. “I said ‘We don’t need to get into the final five minutes [of the first half] to start playing. Let’s get it to single digits and get into a nice mindset headed into the second half.’ ”
Those words woke up the sleepwalking Utes as they finally displayed defensive intensity and started to hit shots. Loveridge and guard Brandon Taylor connected on consecutive 3-pointers to cut the ISU lead to nine at halftime.
Utah carried that momentum into the second half and immediately started to blitz the Idaho State pick and roll, causing multiple turnovers that led to transition buckets. A 13-3 run highlighted by a Loveridge fast break layup gave the Utes the lead at 47-46 with just over 11 minutes to go in the game.
After surrendering the lead, the Bengals refused to let Utah run past them. Big shots from Chris Hansen, Tomas Sanchez, Andre Hatchett, and Scotty Taylor kept Idaho State within striking distance, but every time the Bengals made a big shot, the Utes had an answer on the other end.
After going 0-for-2 from behind the arc in the first half, Dakarai Tucker hit four threes in the second to lead an outside shooting charge that finally broke the ISU zone.
“I had to go back to my fundamentals,” Tucker said. “In the beginning, I was just throwing it up. I had to keep my confidence and not worry about the first half and come back the second half and knock them down.”
With outside shots falling, Loveridge, Taylor and Delon Wright had more space to penetrate and score to keep the Bengals at bay. In addition to those players, big man Dallin Bachynski provided a defensive spark off the bench after it was unclear whether or not he would even play after dealing with swelling in his knee in recent days.
“He did a great job tonight,” Krystkowiak said. “Blocked shots, grabbed rebounds, made free throws. He was a great boost for us and I thought he was our MVP.”
Utah will return to the court on Saturday when it hosts BYU.