One by one, Utah’s Utes walked off their floor on Thursday night, having done their battling, but also having been bruised and beaten.
The final numbers on the board rested at 94-82. The final numbers on the boards were much worse, finding no rest at 46-23.
“I’m not into moral victories,” Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said afterward. But then he added, “I’ll give our team a lot of credit for battling back.”
Here’s the plain truth about what went on at the Huntsman Center, where Utah faced off against the bully of the Pac-12, Arizona:
The Utes weren’t just playing for themselves. They were playing for a bunch of people, playing for the rest of the conference. They had to beat the Wildcats. Had to. If they didn’t, if they couldn’t beat Arizona here in front of their own fans … who would? Who could?
It was up to the Utes, then, yes, even so early in league play — this was Utah’s Pac-12 home opener — to give themselves — and everybody else — hope that the ’Cats could be conquered.
And, well … never mind.
“We need a little more muscle to beat that team,” said Krystkowiak.
Traces of Arizona’s three consecutive losses earlier this season only showed up in one second-half stretch, but, ultimately, were nowhere in sight. The main perceptible thing was what the Wildcats had demonstrated in their other 11 wins, including their recent home victory over theretofore undefeated ASU — that they are the best team in the league.
The Utes knew full well they had to bolt down their defense in order to give themselves a shot, what with UA averaging 83 points over a span of eight-consecutive wins, shooting 52 percent from the floor on the season and a fraction shy of 40 percent from behind the arc.
They did not do that.
Arizona popped the nets with an efficiency of 50 percent, a clip the Utes could not match, making just 44 percent. And the rebounding deficit killed them.
Utah also knew it was staring down the double-barreled threat of Allonzo Trier and freshman star Deandre Ayton, who were combining for an average of 41 points, with the big frosh getting 12 boards a game, one of the nation’s top averages.
The Utes managed to slow Trier, who had just seven points. But Ayton punished them, going for 24 and 14. “He’s a terrific post player,” Krystkowiak said. Other Wildcats, such as Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Rawle Alkins added their damage.
Bill Walton, who was in the building, calling the game for ESPN, must have waxed loquacious, voluble, dare we even say garrulous over the Wildcats.
There were things to be said of the Utes, too.
Arizona got off to a 10-3 start — by way of the aforementioned efficiency and strong rebounding at both ends, as well as overall superior speed and athleticism. That margin grew to 27-12, and remained like that through the end of the half, 46-32.
The second half stirred more life in the Utes, as Justin Bibbins dusted a 3-pointer and was fouled, finishing a four-point play, cutting the deficit to 52-44 three minutes in. A subsequent corner 3-pointer by Sedrick Barefield shaved the lead to 57-50. With just more than 12 minutes left, Barefield hit three foul shots to make it 61-56. Barefield then made another bomb, slimming the margin to two. Down the stretch, another Barefield 3-pointer cut Arizona’s lead to 69-68.
From that point on, until the last couple of minutes, it was tight, every possession intense.
Barefield (23 points), Bibbins (14), David Collette (19), Tyler Rawson (16), who played significant roles in Utah’s road sweep of the Oregon schools last week, had nice moments, but couldn’t quite finish their work.
So, one by one, the Utes walked off, unable to do themselves and the conference any kind of solid. The result condemns Utah to nothing disastrous, as there are many games on many nights yet to come. Against a mostly vulnerable league, outside of Arizona, and maybe one or two others, the Utes have a good chance of landing in the league’s upper tier.
But winning the Pac-12 regular season?
That seems the sole business of the big, muscled, athletic team that defeated them on Thursday night.
GORDON MONSON hosts “The Big Show” with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone.
Follow @GordonMonson