Utah 62, Washington State 60
Utah was the tenth worst team in Pomeroy in the entire country before this game. After this victory, Utah is now the nineteenth worst team in Pomeroy. The fact that such a drastic upset of a conference foe does almost nothing for the Utes says volumes about this result and the Pac-12 in general. We're all in the same boat and we're sinking like rocks.
After this game, Utah is predicted by Pomeroy to have less than a 16% chance to win all their remaining games in the Pac-12. Take out Arizona State, and Utah is predicted by Pomeroy to have less than a 10% chance to win any one of their remaining games.
What the hell Washington State. WHAT THE HELL.
Utah shot only 5 of 20 from behind the arc. Washington State was 8 for 15 (both of those are standard averages for Utah three point offense and defense). But the Cougars allowed the Utes to hit 60% of their two point shots while hitting only 39% of their own. Washington State proved to have an easier time getting to the free throw line, but ended up hitting less than half of them.
It was Brock Motum and the army of Ken Bone misfits tonight. Utah meanwhile got semi-efficient performances and balance, and for an overmatched college basketball team, that's usually the perfect mixture for an epic (epic?) upset.
This was one issue identified by CougCenter.
Marcus Capers, the team's supposed "lock-down" defender, was defending Utah's Josh Watkins as he made shots from nearly identical spots to tie the game and send it into overtime and win the game with three seconds left in overtime. Capers also took an ill-advised (that really isn't a strong enough term) three-pointer with WSU up two and thirty seconds to play. Capers should never shoot a three under any circumstances, let alone with the game on the line. If he wanted to shoot a three so bad, why didn't he do it all the time Watkins was giving him ten feet of space?
Block U got knocked out after this one. Wish we could all have that attitude.
So Utah has proven that the Pac-12 is even weaker than people think it is. They can beat other teams in it.