Runnin' Utes Edged by Golden Bears
SALT LAKE CITY – A game-high 26 points from junior forward Timmy Allen and 12 points from freshman Pelle Larsson was not enough Saturday night for the Utah men's basketball team as it fell to a visiting Cal team 72-63 inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Utah's offense was rolling in the first half, shooting 50-percent (13-of-26) through the first 20 minutes of action while assisting 10 of the 13 shots made by the Utes (5-6, 2-5 Pac-12). Timmy Allen had 12 points to pace Utah while also dishing out four assists - including a dart to Alfonso Plummer as time expired for the 34-22 halftime lead.
In addition to Plummer's eight first-half points, thanks to 2-of-3 from 3-point range, Larsson chipped in with seven points.
After starting the second frame exchanging short spurts, Utah saw its 40-32 lead out of the 15:59 media break slowly shrink. Cal (7-8, 2-6 Pac-12) eventually took the 46-42 lead before Utah called a timeout with 12:01 left to play, but the damage was done courtesy of a 14-2 run for the Golden Bears.
Riley Battin ended the scoring drought for Utah out of the timeout and got within 48-46 before Cal extended its lead to 62-50 out of the 6:31 media break on a two-handed jam from Andre Kelly. That 12-point cushion for Cal was thanks to nine points from Grant Anticevich, who finished with a team-high 14 points. From there, time was Utah's biggest enemy as it fell to the Golden Bears 72-63.
NOTABLES
Allen's 26 points now moves his career-total to 1,082, passing Jason Washburn (2009-13, 1,073) for 35th-most in program history … the 26 points was also one shy of tying his career-record of 27, set last season against BYU (12/9/19) … Utah shared the ball well, assisting on 16 of the 21 shots made Saturday night.
UP NEXT
The Utes now hit the road for the next two weeks. Utah will first face off against Washington State on Pac-12 Networks at 8 p.m. (MT) on Thursday, Jan. 21. It will then get a couple days off before battling Washington on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. (MT) on ESPN2 or ESPNU.
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