PROVO — Whatever you want to call it, overconfidence, fatigue or, dare we say it — choking — it has become a trademark of this year's Utah basketball team.
The Utes can't hold on to a second-half lead to save their lives.
Like they did against New Mexico earlier in the week, against UNLV last week, against San Diego State and Wyoming the week before that and against Colorado State and BYU the week before that, the Utes blew another second-half lead Saturday afternoon.
This blown lead was the ultimate, however, as the Utes squandered a 21-point lead with 18 minutes left, resulting in a 63-61 loss to archrival BYU.
This defeat had the same earmarks of two blown leads that ended in losses.
As in the UNLV game, the Utes allowed their opponent to go on an 18-2 second-half run. As in in the Wyoming game, they shot poorly and couldn't even manage 20 points in the second half (they got 18 Saturday). And just like almost every recent game, the Utes couldn't make free throws down the stretch.
"I've never been part of a second-half collapse like that," said Britton Johnsen, who led the Utes with 15 points and 13 rebounds. "We just didn't play like we did in the first half. We got lackadaisical in the second half and started turning the ball over. We didn't come out to put them away."
Nick Jacobson didn't mince any words in talking about his team's giveaway.
"Mentally we just collapsed," he said. "That's something we've got to deal with on our own. It's mental. Sometimes we all lack toughness."
It's obvious the Utes lack a killer instinct, but Majerus wouldn't agree to that idea when asked, simply saying, "I thought we played hard."
Majerus was mostly upset with the Ute turnovers — over a three-minute stretch early in the second half, they committed turnovers on five straight possessions — and poor free throw shooting.
"They didn't cover us when we shot our free throws," said Majerus, referring to the Utes' 11 of 18 shooting. In the second half, the Utes only made 6 of 13 and in the final 6:32 of the game, Utah made 3 of 9 foul shots.
"Lombardi had the greatest quote of all — 'Fatigue makes cowards of us all,' " said Majerus. "We've had a stamina problem all year. I need to give some of these guys a rest."
However when asked if his team got tired in the second half, Majerus said, "I don't know that."
The players didn't necessarily think fatigue was a problem in the second half.
"Not really," said Phil Cullen when asked if the Ute players got tired. "We were fine."
Even in spite their poor second-half play, the Utes had chances to win or tie in the final seconds.
With 10 seconds left and the Utes down one, Jacobson got free on the left baseline for an open jumper but missed.
"I couldn't have asked for a better shot," said Jacobson. "I wasn't rushed or pressured. I just missed."
Then after Dan Howard made one of two free throws with 7.6 seconds left, Travis Spivey took the ball all the way up the left side only for his shot to be knocked away by Howard as time ran out.
"It was my intention to take it all the way," said Spivey. "It was one of those plays where it's up to the ref. I took it strong and there was no call — you can't fault the ref."
Next the Utes have to travel across the Rockies for a pair of games against Colorado State Thursday and Wyoming Saturday. With Wyoming defeating Air Force Saturday, the Utes are a game behind the Cowboys in the loss column and will likely have to win Saturday's game to gain a piece of the Mountain West Conference title.
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