Utah basketball avoids heading into Pac-12 Tournament on losing skid with thrilling OT win over Colorado
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) and teammates celebrate after the Utes beat the Colorado Buffaloes 74-72 in overtime at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Although it took free throws by Both Gach with 0.6 seconds remaining in overtime to get it done, Utah avoided heading to the Pac-12 Tournament with baggage it had yet to carry.
Had the Utes not left the Huntsman Center with a 74-72 win over Colorado on Saturday, they would have taken a three-game losing streak into the conference gathering. That’s something Utah has never done since joining the Pac-12 in 2011-12.
The Utes, in fact, have now won their regular season finale for five straight seasons and have finished league play on a two-game slide only once — in their inaugural campaign.
While things ultimately turned out well this time around, it took some late heroics by a shorthanded Utah team (16-14, 7-11) playing without star freshman Rylan Jones. Gach played the point in his place and wound up netting a career-high 28 points. He added five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the upset of the Buffaloes (21-10, 10-8).
“You can say that I feel like I’m being myself,” Gach said. “Just being able to make plays for myself and for my teammates.”
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Colorado Buffaloes guard McKinley Wright IV (25) is charged with a foul as Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) shoots for three in the final second of overtime with the Buffaloes up by one point at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Gach sank all three free-throws, giving the Utes a 74-72 win. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Branden Carlson (35) dunks over Colorado Buffaloes forward Alexander Strating (10) and guard Tyler Bey (1) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) reacts after guard McKinley Wright IV (25) was charged with a foul against Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) as Gach shot for three in the last second of overtime with the Buffaloes up by one point at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) drives between Colorado Buffaloes guard D'Shawn Schwartz (5), forward Evan Battey (21) and guard Tyler Bey (1) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) is shut down at the hoop by Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) and forward Evan Battey (21) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) and teammates celebrate after the Utes beat the Colorado Buffaloes 74-72 in overtime at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) celebrates after the Utes beat the Colorado Buffaloes 74-72 in overtime at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) celebrates after the Utes beat the Colorado Buffaloes 74-72 in overtime at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) successfully shoots three free-throws after being fouled in the last second of overtime with the Colorado Buffaloes up by one point at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Utah won the game, 74-72. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) and Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) reacts after Buffaloes guard McKinley Wright IV (25) was charged with a foul against Utes guard Both Gach (11) as Gach shot for three in the last second of overtime with the Buffaloes up by one point at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle argues with a referee during the game against the Utah Utes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) and guard Both Gach (11) celebrate after the Utes scored on the Colorado Buffaloes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) dunks on a breakaway during the game against the Utah Utes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) and guard Alfonso Plummer (25) celebrate after Plummer hit a shot against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak calls out to players during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) shoots over Colorado Buffaloes guard McKinley Wright IV (25) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) looks for an open teammate during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) pulls off a block from behind on Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) shoots over Colorado Buffaloes guard Maddox Daniels (3) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20) pulls in a rebound over Colorado Buffaloes forward Evan Battey (21) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Mikael Jantunen (20) drives against Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) shoots against Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) is charged with a foul as Colorado Buffaloes guard Tyler Bey (1) goes to the hoop at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Gach did the ultimate service by delivering the victory after getting fouled by Colorado’s McKinley Wright with under one second remaining in overtime. Utah trailed 72-71 at the time and Gach wound up sinking all three foul shots.
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Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak acknowledged it was “big time” — and in more ways than one.
In a season of ups and downs — underscored by the team’s youth — it proved a much-needed confidence boost entering the next phase of the season.
“It gives you a little bit of validity and a pep in your step,” Krystkowiak said. “It’s always good medicine to win. It’s good for all of us to not have to deal with the losses.”
The next couple of days will be easier, he added, but the Utes will have to get prepared and set for the next one. They’ll be the No. 9 seed in the Pac-12 tourney, playing Wednesday (1 p.m. MDT) against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
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