This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For a stretch on Friday night, Texas State got to every rebound. Every loose ball. Every 50-50 ball.
Strahan Coliseum was on edge. The Utes looked very open to losing a second consecutive road game.
And then, Larry Krystkowiak stepped in. He challenged his team and told them to be a little tougher. They responded.
Jordan Loveridge started getting to every rebound. Jason Washburn started blocking every shot. Jarred DuBois started getting to the rim and scoring. It was quite the final eight minutes in a 74-69 win.
The final score is a little misleading. The Utes had stretched it to a double-digit advantage before the Bobcats made a game of it in the final 25 seconds.
Bottom line: Utah won its first road game in two years, and moved to 5-2 overall.
"I thought everyone who played made a nice contribution for us," Krystkowiak said. "It's nice when you get a victory like that."
Utah will return home on Wednesday to play Boise State. That's a big game for the Utes, who are looking for a defining victory. They get two shots this week, with BYU looming next Saturday.
Tony Jones