Utah’s Struggles Continue in Big 12 Loss to Oklahoma State

Utah’s struggles in the Big 12 Conference continued on Saturday as the Runnin’ Utes fell to Oklahoma State, 81-69, in a game that saw the team falter in the final six minutes. The loss marked Utah’s third consecutive defeat and dropped their conference record to 1-7. With a crowd of 7,293, including numerous Utah basketball alumni, watching from the stands, the Utes were unable to maintain their composure in the closing moments of the game.

The contest was a back-and-forth battle for most of the game, but Oklahoma State managed to pull away in the final minutes. The Cowboys shot 48.5% from the field, while Utah struggled offensively, shooting just 40.7% from the floor and a dismal 25% from beyond the arc. In the second half alone, Utah was only 1 for 9 from three-point range, which proved to be a critical factor in the loss.

Oklahoma State guard Anthony Roy led the way with 26 points, hitting five three-pointers, including several from well beyond the arc. His performance was a key reason why Utah’s defense struggled to contain the Cowboys in the final stretch of the game.

Coach Jensen Expresses Frustration

Utah coach Alex Jensen was clearly frustrated after the game, calling out his team’s lack of cohesion and selfish play. He pointed to the team’s failure to communicate and work together as a major issue.

“We had a week. We talked about him and again. A few of our guys have trouble absorbing the information,” Jensen said. “… It goes back to thinking about me and scoring and me on defense, guarding my guy, not how I fit in with the other four. I think it was like a team effort in not recognizing him, and another way, a big way that it’s selfish is not talking. We have multiple guys that don’t talk, and that’s one way to be selfish in your own little world.”

Jensen also praised Oklahoma State’s preparation, acknowledging that the Cowboys were ready for Utah’s style of play. However, he emphasized that the Utes’ issues stemmed from their own shortcomings.

Key Moments in the Game

With six minutes remaining in the game, Oklahoma State held a three-point lead. Utah went cold, missing two straight shots and turning the ball over, which led to a layup by Vyctorius Miller to extend the Cowboys’ lead to five points with 4:31 left on the clock.

Utah made a brief rally, getting as close as four points after a Terrence Brown jumper. However, a three-pointer by Parsa Fallah with 3:23 remaining sealed the victory for Oklahoma State. In the final 5:30 of the game, Utah was only 3 for 8 from the field, highlighting the team’s inability to find its rhythm.

Forward Seydou Traore expressed frustration with the team’s pace during the game.

“I feel like we were getting sped up most of the game. I think if we just took our time, because their big man was kind of blitzing the screen, I think if we kind of took our time with that and just made sure we looked at all our options, we would have did a better job,” Traore said.

Rebounding and Effort Issues

Oklahoma State dominated the boards, outrebounding Utah 43-34 and scoring 12 second-chance points in the process. The Utes’ defensive lapses and lack of communication were evident throughout the game, particularly in the final minutes.

Jensen was clear in his message to his players after the game.

“Disappointing game tonight. Thought we had a good week of practice, but I think we regressed. I give (Oklahoma State coach) Steve (Lutz) a lot of credit. He was prepared for us tonight, but disappointing because I thought (we were) very selfish tonight,” Jensen said.

He added that the team’s lack of teamwork and communication was a significant factor in the loss.

Alumni Night and Emotional Impact

Saturday’s game was also Alumni Night at the Huntsman Center, with former Utah players from the ’80s and ’90s to as recent as Parker Van Dyke, who graduated in 2019, in attendance. Tim Drisdom, who played for Utah from 2002 to 2006, sang the national anthem before the game.

For Jensen, the emotional impact of the loss was heightened by the presence of the alumni.

“I think we have good character guys. They haven’t shown in the last two games. I think that goes to the selfishness. It was disappointing when we stopped playing tonight and they got that basket. It makes you question on how much you care and that’s an interesting thing,” Jensen said.

Looking Ahead

With the loss, Utah now faces a challenging schedule ahead. The Utes will host Arizona State next Wednesday, but after that, they will face a tough three-game stretch against Kansas, Houston, and Cincinnati.

Keanu Dawes, who scored 12 points in the game, echoed Jensen’s comments about the team’s lack of unity.

“We didn’t really come together as a team on both sides of the ball. Defensively, there was a lot of lapses that shouldn’t have happened, and offensively, same thing,” Dawes said.

Jensen acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming games, emphasizing that Utah must focus on the small details.

“Our margin for error is small, and it’s all the little things,” Jensen said. “There’s teams like Arizona, we’re probably not going to beat Arizona. That’s a really good team. We fought hard, we got back within eight. That’s the disappointing thing about tonight. Oklahoma State’s a good team, but we’re good enough to beat ‘em and it’s disappointing.”