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GAME REPORT

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FIRST HALF IN REVIEW

UTAH 34

WEST VIRGINIA 28

Jarrod West made a 17-foot jumper for the first basket and West Virginia jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Utah’s Michael Doleac made two free throws two minutes into the game. Trace Caton’s layup with 13:58 left tied the score, 6-6, and was Utah’s first field goal. Neither team looked sharp early. Utah shot 48.0%, but had difficulty getting shots. West Virginia forced three turnovers and blocked two shots in the first five minutes. The Mountaineers also controlled the inside and had a 20-16 rebounding advantage. Drew Hansen’s three-pointer gave the Utes their first lead, 18-17, with 8:52 left. They never trailed again. Andre Miller took control: He scored two baskets and had two assists as the Utes took a 29-24 lead. Moments later, Miller scored on back-door play and was fouled. His free throw gave Utah a 34-28 lead.

* UTAH’S LEADING SCORES: Michael Doleac 10, Andre Miller 9.

* UTAH’S LEADING REBOUNDERS: Doleac 7, Britton Johnson 3.

* OTHER STUFF: Doleac had seven rebounds, but none were on the offensive end. Hansen had the Utes only offensive rebound . . . Doleac was perfect from the field, but had only three shots . . . The West Virginia press didn’t seem to bother Miller, who had five assists and no turnovers in 16 minutes.

* WEST VIRGINIA’S LEADING SCORERS: Damian Owens 9, Brent Solheim 6.

* WEST VIRGINIA’S LEADING REBOUNDERS: Owens 5, Adrian Pledger 4.

* OTHER STUFF: West was one of five from the field . . . Jarret Kearse’s two points was the only scoring off the bench . . . The Mountaineers shot only three free throws.

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SECOND HALF IN REVIEW

UTAH 65

WEST VIRGINIA 62

Doleac asserted himself, scoring eight of Utah’s first 10 points and Utah went up, 44-36. But Doleac missed a dunk with 15:34 left and the Mountaineers rallied. They shot 54.5% for the half. The Utes tried to take control. Miller made a three-pointer with 9:05 left--Utah’s last field goal--for 53-48 lead. Moments later, Miller made two free throws and Doleac one for 58-50 lead. But the Utes’ Alex Jensen missed a shot and West made a three-pointer. Utah led, 63-58, with 3:27 left, but Solheim made four free throws to pull the Mountaineers to within one. West, who beat Cincinnati with a last second three-pointer, had two chances to give West Virginia the lead. He missed a three-pointer and a two-pointer in the last minute. Then Owens nearly came up with a steal, but fouled Doleac with 8.8 seconds left. Doleac made both and West’ three-point attempts at the buzzer hit the front of the rim.

* UTAH’S LEADING SCORERS: Doleac 25, Miller 14.

* UTAH’S LEADING REBOUNDERS: Doleac 9, Alex Jensen 6.

* OTHER STUFF: Utah went 15 minutes without a field goal, six to start the game and nine to finish it . . . Utes made 12 of 16 free throws in last eight minutes and was 22 of 27 for the game . . . Miller finished with eight assists. . . . Utah shot 38.% in second half.

* WEST VIRGINIA ‘S LEADING SCORERS: Solheim 16, Owens 12.

* WEST VIRGINIA’S LEADING REBOUNDERS: Owens 9, Solheim 7.

* OTHER STUFF: Owens had six steals . . . West Virginia is a poor free throw shooting team and Owens made that clear with an airball on a free throw attempt (used to thinner mountain air?). However, the Mountaineers made seven of eight from the line in last five minutes . . . West continued to shoot poorly, finishing 4 for 13 from the field.

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