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  Saturday, Jan. 22 3:00pm ET
Utah 69, Wyoming 61
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ Alex Jensen had 19 points and 14 rebounds as No. 22 Utah survived its worst shooting game of the season to beat scrappy Wyoming 69-61 on Saturday.

Hanno Mottola was held to seven points but his basket with 3:10 to play and his 3-point play with 2:17 remaining helped the Utes (14-3, 3-0 Mountain West) extend the nation's longest homecourt winning streak to 46 games.

It also was Utah's 31st straight victory at home in league games, including play in the old Western Athletic Conference.

The Utes shot 39 percent (23-of-59) but the defense produced an answer to every threat by the resilient Cowboys (11-8, 1-3), who lost for the fourth time in their last five games.

Nate Althoff scored 13 points and Jeremy Killion had 14 for Utah, which played Wyoming for the first time since February 1998 because of the convoluted schedule in the old 16-team WAC.

LeDarion Jones led the Cowboys with 19 points and Bailey added 12.

Utah led 37-32 at halftime and the Cowboys rallied three times from at least five points down in the second half.

But Wyoming couldn't score when it counted the most. After the Cowboys pulled within 63-61 on a basket by Marcus Bailey with 2:46 to play, they didn't score again.

One week ago, the Utes won at BYU by holding the Cougars scoreless over the final seven minutes.

Jensen came up with some huge plays against Wyoming, including his block of Chris McMillian's layup with 1:19 on the clock and the Utes leading 66-61.

Jensen drew cheers on a steal while falling with 7:47 to play, igniting a fastbreak that Jeff Johnsen capped with a 3-point play for a 58-52 lead. But Wyoming answered on a finger-roll under the basket by Josh Davis and two free throws by McMillian.

Killion's 3-pointer with 4:12 remaining gave Utah a 61-54 lead. Again, the Cowboys came back as McMillian hit two free throws and Jones capped a 3-point play to make it 61-59 with 3:25 left.

That's when Mottola, who was tentative after getting two fouls in the game's first three minutes, got involved. He hit an eight-foot turnaround and took a feed from Jensen for a layup and, after being fouled, a free throw.

Utah seemed ready to blow the game open early in the second half, after Tony Harvey's two free throws gave the Utes a 48-42 lead. But Jones scored four baskets during an 8-2 run that tied it at 50 with 12:36 remaining.

 


ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard

Wyoming Clubhouse

Utah Clubhouse