#8 Wichita State Won't Be Undefeated This Year, #25 Utah Takes Care Of Shockers 69-68 In OT

Wichita State ran the table last year in the regular season, not this year.

You would think the Shockers were destined to pull it off against Utah.  Down by nine late in the second half Wichita State went on a 11-0 run to take a 60-58 lead until Tekele Cotton fouled the Utes Dakarai Tucker with :19 left.

Tucker hit a pair of freebies to sent the game into overtime 60-60.

The game stayed tight in overtime but Utah prevailed when Delon Wright nailed the game winner with :14 left in overtime to give the Utes a huge victory over Wichita State 69-68.


"I knew I had to make a play," Wright said. "I looked for Brandon Taylor but he wasn't open and I found a way to get into the lane and make a shot."

"It was tough," Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "Our guys just hung in there."

In Krystkowiak's first year at Utah iin the 2011-12 season the Utes won only six games.  Methodically Krystkowiak has increased the win total and talent.

Wednesday night in Salt Lake City was the opportunity the Utes were looking for to get a signature win over Wichita State.

"It's a surreal feeling to see the way this program has turned around a complete 180," Dakarai Taylor said. "I was so hyped out there."

"It was just a gritty game with two teams going at it all night," Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. "They were just one point better."

The Shockers had won 35 straight regular season games before the loss to Utah.

Wichita State didn't have a comfortable night shooting only 38.1 percent from the field and had a hard time buying a basket in the overtime going 2-7 from the field.

Utah had four players in double figures and shot 42.9 percent from the field and out rebounded Wichita State 40-37.

"This is huge for us and huge for our program." Delon Wright said.  "This is the type of game we have always lost in the past and this time we found a way to get it done,"