SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s remarkable comeback for a 102-95 victory over BYU Wednesday night was a team effort — “everybody had a part in it” said coach Larry Krystkowiak — but three players in particular stood out in the Utes’ first win over their rivals in four years.
Sophomore Timmy Allen scored 27 points, leading a second-half charge with an array of drives and moves to the basket. Freshman point guard Rylan Jones came up big in the clutch with a 3-point basket to send the game into overtime and eight points in the overtime. And freshman Mikael Jantunen, who came in averaging just 4.7 ppg, scored 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting in playing 31 minutes off the bench.
It turns out that all three players were hobbling with injuries — Allen and Jones playing on sprained ankles and Jantunen playing with a bad knee that kept him out of practice for a couple of days this week.
“It might be one of my favorite things about the game, seeing someone laying it on the line,” Krystkowiak said about how his players toughed it out despite their injuries.
“You’ve got load management and all different things going on at the level above us — hopefully that doesn’t creep into our deal here,” he said. “Between Rylan and TA and Mikey. those guys kind of playing on one leg, means a lot to me and should mean a lot to our fan base. It was very fitting that those guys played well because they’re cut of the right stuff.”
In the overtime, Utah (6-2) went with a small lineup that included Allen, Jones and Jantunen, along with reserve Jaxon Brenchley and Both Gach for the full five minutes. The 6-foot-6 Allen got the tip and Brenchley quickly drew a foul and made both free throws. Then after BYU tied it, the Utes ran off six straight points, all baskets at the rim with Jones making two layups and Allen the other, Jantunen scored in the paint. Then the Utes iced the game with four free throws by Jones and two by Jantunen. In all, the Utes went 5-for-6 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line in the overtime period.
Krystkowiak said “we saddled up Timmy for more than 42 minutes” and of Jones, who played just under 42 minutes, he said, “Rylan is an absolute warrior and understands the game real well and obviously makes us coaches a lot better. He’s a special kid.”
After the game, some words were exchanged in the handshake line between BYU coach Mark Pope and Utah director of basketball operations Chris Jones, the father of Rylan Jones. When asked for a comment Thursday, Chris Jones said he had “nothing to say” about the incident.
The Utes come back for a Saturday afternoon game (3 p.m.) against Central Arkansas and then have a week before their next game against Weber State Dec. 14 in Vivint Arena as part of the Beehive Classic. After that, they’ll have just two games, Dec. 18 against Kentucky in Las Vegas and Dec. 21 against San Diego State in Los Angeles before starting Pac-12 play Jan. 2 against Oregon State.