TK Comes Up Huge in OT Clutch
Everybody remembers the trouble point guard Tyler Kepkay had coming through in the clutch last season.
But that's ancient history, now.
The senior was absolutely clutch for the Utes in overtime of their 94-88 victory over Brigham Young at the Huntsman Center tonight, scoring 10 of his 19 points in the extra period -- including back-to-back slicing, scooping lay-ups that ignited the game-winning surge.
"We had the plays there, and I just made them tonight," he said. "I was given the opportunity, and I just made the best of it."
Coach Jim Boylen, however, was far more effusive.
Though Kepkay was far from the only star in the arguably the biggest win of the season for the Utes -- center Luke Nevill scored a career-high 32 points, guard Luka Drca had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and forward Shaun Green had a bunch of crucial offensive rebounds -- Boylen made a point of praising Kepkay above all the rest.
"He was selfish last year,” Boylen said. "He was out for his stuff. He was separated from his teammates. This year, he's one of the favorite guys on the team. He helps people. He embraces everybody. He's very calm in practice and at the end of games. And it's all because he has made himself part of the team, and he's more worried about winning than starting. More worried about winning than scoring.
"It's a life lesson, to me," Boylen added. "It's what this program is built on ... if you give it up, take your ego out of it, it's all going to come back to you. I'm so happy for that guy. I just hugged him in the locker room and told him I loved him. It's a great story."
So is a victory over the Cougars.
The Utes had lost four in a row to their rivals, and had beaten only one team in the top 60 of the Ratings Percentage Index this season. The victory over the Cougs gives them a crucial second, and one that vaulted them back into a first-place tie in the Mountain West Conference.
"It's tough to swallow," BYU's Lee Cummard said. "You don't ever like to lose to those guys. ... But they made the plays down the strech, and we didn't."
But that's ancient history, now.
The senior was absolutely clutch for the Utes in overtime of their 94-88 victory over Brigham Young at the Huntsman Center tonight, scoring 10 of his 19 points in the extra period -- including back-to-back slicing, scooping lay-ups that ignited the game-winning surge.
"We had the plays there, and I just made them tonight," he said. "I was given the opportunity, and I just made the best of it."
Coach Jim Boylen, however, was far more effusive.
Though Kepkay was far from the only star in the arguably the biggest win of the season for the Utes -- center Luke Nevill scored a career-high 32 points, guard Luka Drca had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and forward Shaun Green had a bunch of crucial offensive rebounds -- Boylen made a point of praising Kepkay above all the rest.
"He was selfish last year,” Boylen said. "He was out for his stuff. He was separated from his teammates. This year, he's one of the favorite guys on the team. He helps people. He embraces everybody. He's very calm in practice and at the end of games. And it's all because he has made himself part of the team, and he's more worried about winning than starting. More worried about winning than scoring.
"It's a life lesson, to me," Boylen added. "It's what this program is built on ... if you give it up, take your ego out of it, it's all going to come back to you. I'm so happy for that guy. I just hugged him in the locker room and told him I loved him. It's a great story."
So is a victory over the Cougars.
The Utes had lost four in a row to their rivals, and had beaten only one team in the top 60 of the Ratings Percentage Index this season. The victory over the Cougs gives them a crucial second, and one that vaulted them back into a first-place tie in the Mountain West Conference.
"It's tough to swallow," BYU's Lee Cummard said. "You don't ever like to lose to those guys. ... But they made the plays down the strech, and we didn't."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 11:35 PM |
1 Comments:
Pretty sure that Carlon Brown has got a lot of changing to do too. Ever since his recent "ESPN dunks" he has put up some horrible performances. It seems that he's "more into starting than winning games." Hopefully Boylen sees that and acts accordingly.
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