Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25), center, runs back up the court as the Utah bench celebrates Plummer’s eleventh 3-pointer during their game against the Oregon State Beavers during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
By Andrew Sorensen, Contributor

LAS VEGAS — As the Utah Utes’ experience at the Pac-12 tournament came to a close sooner than they had hoped for, a historic game for guard Alfonso Plummer was maybe the only bright spot in the heartbreaking loss.

In Utah’s 71-69 loss at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday afternoon, Alfonso Plummer hit 11 3-pointers to break the Pac-12 tournament record for most 3-pointers made in a game, as well as Johnnie Bryant’s program record of most 3-pointers made in a game at eight.

“I was just playing with confidence. My teammates trust me and gave me the ball to shoot open shots and they were just going in.” — Utah junior guard Alfonso Plummer

While the Puerto Rico native was, understandably, very disappointed post-game, his 35-point game was a personal season-high and a meaningful development for a player that has had his ups and downs on the court in his short time as a Ute.

Plummer began the game making just two of his first five 3-point attempts, but shooters shoot, as the saying goes. Shoot Plummer did as he hit his next six shots of the half, including five makes from beyond the arc. His spectacular effort carried the Utes from a three-point deficit with nine minutes left in the first half to an eight-point lead at the break.

He would not stop there, however, as he drained his first two 3s of the second half to give the Utes’ their biggest lead of the night at 14. Though Oregon State began to key in on him a bit more defensively, he made one more to extend his streak of consecutive makes from beyond the 3-point line to eight.

“I was just playing with confidence,” Plummer said. “My teammates trust me and gave me the ball to shoot open shots and they were just going in.”

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The Utes stand stunned on the bench after Oregon State Beavers forward Alfred Hollins (4) nailed a game-winning shot at the buzzer during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25), center, runs back up the court as the Utah bench celebrates Plummer’s eleventh 3-pointer during their game against the Oregon State Beavers during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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After being fouled, Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) signals a 3-pointer from his back as the Utes play the Oregon State Beavers during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Oregon State guard Jarod Lucas (2) celebrates his buzzer-beating game-winning shot as the Beavers defeated the Utah Utes in the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak and the bench celebrate a Utah 3-pointer against Oregon State during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) gets knocked to the floor as the Utes play the Oregon State Beavers during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) gets fouled by Oregon State Beavers forward Alfred Hollins (4) as Utah and Oregon State meet during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) shoots over the Oregon State defense during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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The Utes walk off the court after getting beat at the buzzer by the Oregon State Beavers during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Oregon State Beavers guard Ethan Thompson (5) crashes into Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20) as he drives to the basket during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak yells at the referee after the Utes were called for a blocking foul during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Rylan Jones (15) cheers from the bench after Alfonso Plummer (25) hits a 3-pointer during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament against Oregon State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) gets fouled by Oregon State Beavers guard Ethan Thompson (5) after making a 3-pointer during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) runs back on defense after nailing a 3-pointer against Oregon State during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) turns the corner on Oregon State Beavers forward Tres Tinkle (3) during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20), center, battles for a rebound the during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament game against Oregon State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20) runs out of the tunnel as he is introduced at the start of the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament game against Oregon State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) gets to the basket for a score during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament game against Oregon State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) gets fouled by Oregon State Beavers guard Gianni Hunt (0) during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Oregon State Beavers guard Zach Reichle (11) has nowhere to go with the ball as the Utah defense pins him against the baseline during the first round of the Pac-12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

Plummer’s 11-for-16 game garnered praise from Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak as well as the opposing squad, which had to make significant adjustments to contain him.

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“The individual performance by the Plummer kid was unbelievable,” Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle said. “We were wanting to go to our 1-3-1 (defense) in the first half, but with Plummer hitting shots with blindfolds on and shooting them backwards, we were a little worried.”

“When you catch a rhythm like that, the hoop looks way bigger,” Oregon State senior Tres Tinkle said. “We tried to get him to get off the 3-point line, but we were short closing and he was confident.”

Though Plummer was not always a key contributor this year, he got more significant minutes as the season progressed and his solid play as of late could be a good sign for the future of the Utes, who struggled with shooting at times this season.

“I’ll just keep going to the gym, keep shooting and keep the confidence I played with today,” Plummer said. 

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