Big victory for the Utes tonight, steadying themselves in the final minutes after a frighteningly shaky second half that hinted at another second-half collapse against the UNLV Rebels that would have jeopardized their dream of winning the Mountain West Conference championship.

And who would have guessed that point guard Luka Drca would have made some of the biggest plays to seal the 70-60 victory at the Huntsman Center?

The junior had done awfully little lately, and was coming off a truly atrocious game at Colorado State last week -- never mind having that 0-for-6 free-throw shooting streak still going. But when the Rebels had cut a 14-point lead to two with about three minutes left, it was Drca who pulled up and hit a killer three-pointer, followed by two perfect free throws that gave the Utes all the cushion they would need to snap a three-game losing streak against the Rebels.

"Coach called a play, it was a pick-and-roll play," Drca said. "We were looking for Luke out of it, but I was open. ... I don't hesitate, when I shoot it."

Now, the Utes are 20-7 and riding an eight-game winning streak -- 10 in a row at home -- and a two-game lead over Brigham Young and New Mexico with just three games to go. The next big one comes Saturday, when they play the Cougars at the Marriott Center with the chance to clinch a tie for the title.

For the moment, though, it was satisfying enough to relish a victory that looked as if it might not come.

"It's huge," coach Jim Boylen said. "I told my team before the game, 'It's as big a game as you'll play in your life tonight.' I feel that way. I felt that way. I talked to my team that way, because it's part of the process."

Center Luke Nevill responded with another outstanding performance -- no way does he not win the league player of the year award -- by contributing 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. The Utes had a hard time finding him in the second half, something about which Boylen complained after the game, but he scored 11 of the team's first 17 points and helped stake it that 14-point lead.

Good thing, too, because the Rebels turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and forced the Utes into the final dozen of their 20 turnovers while cutting into the lead and nearly overtaking the Utes.

But in addition to Drca's big plays, guard Lawrence Borha took a long pass off an inbounds pass for a lay-up and a three-point play, and the Utes effectively shut down the prime UNLV weapons. Guard Wink Adams managed only nine points on 3-for-12 shooting, and Tre'Von Willis was limited to 14 points, after scorching the Utes for 22 in the victory last month in Las Vegas.

What's more, four others joined Nevill in scoring double-figures, and the Utes hit 20 of 24 free throws while crushing the smaller Rebels in the rebound battle. Afterward, somebody asked Boylen about the contribution of his four seniors -- Nevill, Borha, guard Tyler Kepkay and forward Shaun Green.

"I was hoping somebody wasn't going to ask me that question," he said, "because I get emotional when I talk about my seniors, because I've been really hard on those guys. For them to be a part [of our good season] ... to me, that's what it's all about. Making a memory, having a memory, having something you did with a group of guys. That's why I got into this thing, to do something with a group of guys and have some memories and have some things you look back on at the reunion 10 years from now. 'Remember that? Remember that?' I'm really happy for them, because I've been hard on them."