This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
With the final seconds ticking off the clock, the Utah Utes needed a three-pointer to tie the New Mexico Lobos and have a chance at extending their 18-game home winning streak against them.
Instead, Tyler Kepkay drove for a layup.
The crucial mistake allowed the Lobos to escape with a 72-71 victory in front of 9,289 at the Huntsman Center on Saturday, forcing the Utes to endure yet another last-second malfunction rather than celebrate an unlikely rally from eight points down in the final 45 seconds.
"It's my fault," Kepkay said.
The junior point guard lingered in the locker room with his father long after the game, trying to shake off his latest failed attempt to come up big at the end of a close game.
When he finally emerged, he said he did not lose track of the time and situation after New Mexico's Dairese Gary missed the second of two free throws with 8.8 seconds left and the Utes out of timeouts. But, racing down the court after teammate Shaun Green had rebounded, he simply fell for the bait the Lobos had laid out - allowing an easy path for a lay-up rather than permitting a three-point shot.
"Coach told me to drive and pitch it out to somebody for three," Kepkay said. "And I got more open than I was planning on getting, and then I probably shouldn't have shot it. But I just got so open, I thought maybe I could get it quick and we would have enough time to foul them again."
But Kepkay missed his first attempt at the lay-up with about two seconds left, and put back his miss only as the final horn sounded.
"I think he was going to pull up," coach Jim Boylen said. "And it kind of opened up for him, and he drove it and he got so deep, I don't think he was sure exactly what to do. . . . A mistake was made."
The mistake cost the 15-10 Utes a share of third place in the Mountain West Conference - they're alone in fifth, at 6-6 - while allowing the 22-6 Lobos to extend their seasonlong winning streak to six games and claim sole possession of third place at 9-4 in league.
"The last four minutes, we made a lot of big plays," New Mexico coach Steve Alford said. "We made great shots."
Many of them, from the free throw line.
The Lobos made 9 of 12 free throws in the final 1:11, after using three straight three-pointers to fuel an 11-2 run that gave them a 63-59 lead. Guard Jamal Smith made eight of those foul shots and finished with 17 points, while J.R. Giddens led the Lobos with 19 and seven rebounds.
Even so, the Utes never relented.
Trailing 69-61 with 45 seconds left, they made big plays in between the Lobo free throws, with Lawrence Borha completing a three-point play and Johnnie Bryant making a crucial steal and three-pointer. Bryant led the Utes with 17 points, while center Luke Nevill added 16.
Then, Kepkay made two free throws with 9.7 seconds left to cut the lead to 71-69, before Gary went to the line to set up the final sequence.
"I'm proud of the guys," Nevill said. "We just have to make better decisions during the game so we don't get put in that situation. . . . We have to finish the game. We have to get the win."