The University of Utah began their journey in paradise, playing their opening game in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Facing a West Coast Conference team in the San Francisco Dons. The Utes had an unfortunate event happen on their first offensive possession, their best player Kyle Kuzma rolled his ankle and had to go to the locker room and later returned to the bench in a boot and did not return. Utah still hung tough with the Dons but the team from the bay area went on a 9-0 run to push their lead to seven before Utah fought back and brought the game to within three at halftime. Utah came out flat and sloppy, turning over the ball and not defending the perimeter and would have to play catch up the rest of the way and brought the game within two with the ball. Utah’s hot hand, red-shirt freshman transfer Sedrick Barefield had the ball and would drive above the arc before being called for questionable offensive foul. Utah lost the game 89-86. Barefield led the way with 35 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field including five of seven from downtown. That is the most points scored by a Ute since Keith Van Horn scored 40 against TCU in 1997. The Utah State transfer David Collette added 18 points.
The Dons were led by Ronnie Boyce with 19 points. San Francisco shot 57% from the perimeter (16-28). That is what hurt the Utes. To pour salt in the wound, the Utes committed 21 turnovers but that wasn’t the deciding factor as the Dons turned the ball over 23 times. Utah shot 52% from the field (29-55), and 41% from the three (7-17).
Utah falls into the losers bracket and will face the loser of Illinois State and Hawaii on Friday night at 10:30pm MT.
First Half Highlights
Second Half Highlights
Larry Krystkowiak Postgame
Sedrick Barefield Postgame
