Utah’s Miller Has Good Time Against Arkansas

This is how Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson described his team’s 75-69 loss to Utah Saturday: “It was Miller time.”

Andre Miller, the Utes’ junior point guard, took control of the game by taking control of the ball, beating Arkansas’ press continuously on his way to scoring 28 points and leading Utah to a second-round victory in the NCAA West Regional.

“He made the plays; he was the difference,” Richardson said. “Our game plan was to [play a scramble defense] and get turnovers and he kept control, got through the press.”

Third-seeded Utah will play 10th-seeded West Virginia Thursday at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim in the round of 16.

The 6-foot-2 Miller, a former star at Los Angeles’ Verbum Dei High, also had seven rebounds and committed only three turnovers before the 12,166 mostly Utah fans at Boise State Pavilion.

Arkansas’ press helped cause opponents to turn the ball over an average of 22.8 times a game this season. Utah committed 20 but in the second half had numerous layups and dunks after breaking the press.

On defense, Utah (27-3) held junior guard Pat Bradley, the sixth-seeded Razorbacks’ leading scorer, to five points. He was averaging 15.1.

“They did a great job of moving around our picks,” Bradley said. “I really did not get many open looks.”

Miller, who played 39 minutes, stayed in the game even after picking up his fourth foul with 6:25 to play. “Coach [Rick Majerus] told me to stay aggressive and just let [guard Kareem] Reid score,” Miller said.

But Reid went scoreless and Miller had 14 points after that, including six consecutive free throws and a three-foot running jump shot after dribbling the length of the court.