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Chris Jackson rejects Matt Williams layup attempt.
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Jan 19, 2004
By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Nick Jacobson scored 18 and Richard Chaney added 16 points and Utah won its ninth straight, beating Colorado State 67-49 Monday night.
The Utes (15-3, 3-0 Mountain West) improved to 11-0 at home and remained unbeaten in league play with a huge advantage in free throws. Utah went 20-for-28 from the line, while Colorado State was just 8 of 10.
The Rams (8-8, 0-3) led at halftime after shooting well in the first half but couldn't sustain it in the second half as their shooting cooled off.
Matt Nelson led Colorado State with 17 points and Ronnie Clark scored 14 for the Rams.
Utah and Colorado State split last season, with both schools winning on the road. The Utes were two wins away from taking the Mountain West title outright until the Rams' 66-65 upset last March in Salt Lake City. Utah had won five straight over the Rams, who rallied in the final minute to break the streak last spring.
By the last minute Monday, the Utes were well out of danger of allowing another comeback.
Colorado State fell behind early in the second half, then made a late push when Nelson cut Utah's lead to 53-46 on two free throws with 5:19 remaining, but the Utes scored the next eight points.
Jacobson went 1-for-2 from the line, then Tim Frost pulled down an offensive rebound and the Utes got the ball to Chaney, who made his fourth 3-pointer of the night to put Utah up 57-46.
Utah continued the run with a half-court alley-oop pass from Josh Olson to
Andrew Bogut, who was going too fast for a dunk but made a layup, then added
two free throws on the next possession to put Utah up 61-46 with 1:40
remaining.
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Utah trailed 28-27 at halftime, but Jacobson put the Utes back on top with a jumper. Frost added a basket inside and Chaney hit a 3-pointer, forcing the Rams to call time out with 17:42 left in the game.
Utah nearly led at halftime, but missed a pair of putbacks just before the buzzer. Justin Hawkins grabbed a rebound under the basket, but his attempt was blocked. The rebound when to Frost, whose layup bounced off the rim as time expired.
The Rams were 13-for-23 from the floor and forced the Utes into some bad shooting. Utah attempted seven 3-pointers in the half and made just one.
