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Fans single-filed up the stairs and out of the Huntsman Center after Utah's 70-64 loss to Montana State with just enough time to get home and turn on the TV before the Utah football game began.
They left armed with a question that hung in the air and could also be seen on the strained faces of the Utes themselves.
How many golden opportunities for a win — which Saturday certainly was — will this team have?
The Utes trailed by just two before Montana State's Christian Moon hit a 3-pointer with a minute left that gave the Bobcats enough of a cushion to hold Utah at bay and drop the upstart Utes to 1-2 on the early season.
It was Utah's best performance through three games, but that wasn't much comfort.
"I don't think it's a sense of relief that we stay with teams," point guard Josh "Jiggy" Watkins said. "Because we know we can beat these teams. And we should, but we didn't."
After losing 80-59 at Boise State on Wednesday, Utah appeared poised Saturday to emerge with a winning record before heading to the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament this week in the Bahamas.
But just enough went wrong for the Utes.
Watkins led the Utes in scoring, but committed seven turnovers.
Chris Hines battled through injury to score 10 points, but missed a 3 that would have answered Moon's.
Jason Washburn finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, but coach Larry Krystkowiak said he can do more offensively.
The Utes finished relatively strong, but started abysmally, falling behind 9-0.
"Everybody wants to remember how the game ended," Krystkowiak said, "but we have to be ready from the opening tip. I thought we weren't ready, had a couple of breakdowns."
Montana State was picked in the preseason to finish seventh in the nine-team Big Sky Conference, but it came out strong against the Utes.
The Utes climbed back after the early deficit, thanks to sparks from Hines and junior college transfer guard Cedric Martin. Hines, who missed Monday's opener against San Diego Christian with injured ribs, scored all of his 10 points in the first half, pulling the Utes to within 34-31 by halftime.
Martin scored 11 points, including making each of his first three 3-point attempts.
"We have spurts in the games that we really show our true colors," Martin said, "and show our potential of really playing. Sometimes we get outside of that and we need to keep working on our defense."
Defensively, Martin was the Utes' star. He officially finished with no steals and one block, but was pesky defensively, quick-handedly batting balls away and, once, stripping a shot attempt that went off a Montana State player's leg.
Three Bobcats scored in double figures, led by senior point guard Rod Singleton's 18. Although Montana State made just 12-of-25 free throw attempts, they made six in the last minute.
"For me," Krystkowiak said, "losing is not fun. And it's no more frustrating in a close game than it is in a blowout."
Twitter: @oramb —
Storylines
R The Utes fall to 1-2 despite playing their best game of the young season.
• Josh Watkins leads the Utes with 22 points, but commits seven turnovers.
• Coach Larry Krystkowiak loses to his former assistant coach and high school teammate, Montana State coach Brad Huse.