Runnin' Utes Battle Beavers Thursday Night
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah men's basketball team entertains the visiting Oregon State Beavers this Thursday, Feb. 3, for a 7 p.m. (MT) tip-off inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Dave Feldman will have the call alongside former Maryland star Adrian Branch as the Runnin' Utes search for their first win in the month of January against the Beavers on ESPNU. Utah is hoping to put an end to its 10-game skid while OSU rides a five-game losing streak.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a valiant effort, turnovers once again hurt the Utes as they dropped a heart-breaking double-overtime loss to Washington last Saturday 77-73 inside Alaska Airlines Arena. Utah had opportunities to close it out both in regulation and the first overtime period but was not able to seal the deal. It was also just the second time in program history the Utes were swept on the road by the Washington schools and the first time they've been swept at home and away since joining the Pac-12.
Big man Branden Carlson led the Utes last Saturday with 18 points on seven rebounds with three blocks and a steal while Marco Anthony nearly had a double-double, posting 13 points with nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Rollie Worster, who was 1-of-2 Utes to foul out Saturday, added 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
POWERING THROUGH
Just 21 days removed from his appendectomy, Utah center Branden Carlson played a career-high 40:39 minutes in a double-overtime game at Washington last Saturday. The 18 points was the second-highest total the South Jordan, Utah, product has posted this season and second only to his 21 points against Sacramento State in the second game of the year. The 7-0 junior has now reached double-figures in 11-of-14 games play this year.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
Oregon State heads into this Thursday's match-up just 3-15 on the year and 1-7 in Pac-12 action. OSU's lone victory in conference play was against the Utah in Corvallis back on Dec. 30, an 88-76 affair in favor of the Beavers behind five players in double-figures – including 25 points from Jarod Lucas. The .557 (34-of-61) shooting clip for the Beavers that night was the highest this season by any opponent for Utah. The Beavers have since lost five-straight games.
Lucas currently leads the team with 13.8 points per game while shooting .429 from the field and .389 from 3-point land. Warith Alatishe is averaging 10.9 points and 6.6 rebounds with 17 blocks while also shooting a blazing .533 clip from the field. Dashawn Davis is just outside of the double-digit list, averaging 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists with a team-high 25 steals.
UP NEXT
Utah closes out yet another short homestand with #NR/RV Oregon on Saturday, Feb. 5, inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center for a 6:30 p.m. (MT) tip-off. Ben Wilson will have the call between the Utes and Ducks while veteran NBA coach Dave Miller serves as the analyst on the FS1 broadcast. Additionally, the Utah men's basketball program will also be recognizing Tom Chambers with an honored jersey ceremony as he joins other Ute legends in the rafters of the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Runnin' Utes begin a three-game road swing the following week, beginning with Colorado on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. (MT) on Pac-12 Networks before heading to the Bay Area to face Stanford (Feb. 17) and California (Feb. 19)
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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