HOOPS: Utah 71, Texas 61
Posted By: Gilly <vandamanfan@yahoo.com>
Date: Saturday, 29 December 2001, at 9:50 p.m.
I assume most people saw the game and have read the reports below.
Utah won despite getting hammered on the boards and missing some free throws. The defense looked pretty good for the most part, and the three pointers were falling on offense.
Texas almost won the game toward the end, when Majerus went with his tired 5 guys, and wouldn't put in Allred to bang some under the boards. I would say that Jeff Johnsen was the man down the stretch, blocking a shot and making a couple steals and coming up with big plays.
It was really sad to see Burgess and Owens get hurt. Two seniors who were playing well and really helping their teams seem to deserve better than that.
Spivey played a good game, except for missing some layups. I heard after the game he didn't practice all week, because he was sick/had back spasms.
Not sure why Koford didn't get some more minutes. He hardly played in the first half, although he had a nice post move that just rimmed out. He did get beat for an offensive rebound, but it seemed Majerus never game him a chance to get into the game.
Jacobson was solid.
Cullen was ver good today, doing exactly what you'd want him to do off the bench.
Osmundson got roughed up and called for four quick fouls.
Caton had a decent game, although after he hit his first three I don't think he did much of anything on offense.Britton had a very good game. Not sure how many boards, but he made some big plays on both ends of the floor, and certainly in the first half he was rebounding very well. He wanted out for a breather with 8 minutes to go, but Majerus kept him in there and used timeouts rather than sit any of his key 5 guys.
Good crowd, good game, too bad about the injuries.
HOOPS: Top 10 plays from yesterday?
Posted By: Gilly <vandamanfan@yahoo.com>
Date: Sunday, 30 December 2001, at 9:34 a.m.
Anyone want to take a shot at it?
I'll say ----
10. Burgess's dunk off Jeff's missed layup, before he got hurt
9. Jacobson stepping back after his guy flopped, and nailing a 3.
8. Spivey knocking down his defender, then going to the hoop and scoring whil he knocked down another Longhorn.
7. Britton's 17-pivot move through 3 guys in the post for the score.
6. Cullen faking a jumper, driving to the hoop and getting fouled.
5. Jeff Johnsen's turnaround 3 pointer from the corner with 8 seconds to go in the first half.
4. Jacobson drilling a 30 footer as the stot clock was about to expire.
3. Britton-to-Spivey post pattern, complete for the dunk late in the game when the lead had shrunk to almost nothing.
2. Jeff Johnsen stealing the inbounds pass after Jacobson followed up his layup at the end of the game.
1. Jeff Johnsen blocking a wing jumper and controlling the ball as it came down to setup a big hoop in the last minute of the game.Go Utes
HOOPS: A bunch of things I really loved at the game on Saturday
Posted By: Wannabeaute
Date: Monday, 31 December 2001, at 11:23 a.m.
In no particular order...
Spivey putting that baseball pass/breakaway over TJ Ford down hard after missing a number of layups all game. Most of those layups were still tough shots to get off and not get blocked or charge. I was just pleased to see Spivey go to the hole when he could.
Speaking of going to the hole, who ever thought we'd see Cullen show a drop step and penetrate to the rack? Of course, who thought we'd see Cullen get 15-20 minutes at center? Could he have been out of position all this time? (TIC, TIC, TIC till it hurts.)
Butter gets POTG, but my game ball goes to Jeff Johnsen for work at both ends of the floor and for senior leadership.
Spivey exhorts the crows to stand inside the 2 minute mark and the Hunty responds like the crowds of old. This is all that it takes to make our venue once again among the toughest places to play in the nation.
Then Butter goes up and down with the ball after a Ute defensive stop. Spraying a fire horse filled with ice water on the crowd would have had the same effect. So he made a mistake there, I thought he played a good game and that NBA range 3 with the shot clock expiring was nails.
Solid minutes from Caton. When things looked like they might get ugly and out of hand late in the game I would have liked to see him on the floor, but I don't second guess the coach on this side of the Ute board. On the other side its another story...
Texas' Thomas (number 0) was sure a speciman and he got real physical late in the game. I couldn't help wondering if Dave Barnes challenged him in a timeout about dominating Cullen. "Hey, that's their number 3 forward playing you out there and you haven't fouled him out or knocked him out."
How many of Spivey's missed layups would Burgess have hammered home on the putback?
Osmundson made some ill-advised passes in his minutes, but so did the much-heralded TJ Ford for Texas. Freshman point guards...
In an earlier post I said press the Utes. Somebody else said it wouldn't work. That somebody else was right.
Last modified .