SPOKANE, Wash. -- Matt Bouldin said it had been nearly a
year since Gonzaga lost three games in a row, and the Zags didn't
want to end 2007 on such a low note.
Bouldin scored a career high 26 points, including 20 in the
second half, as Gonzaga outlasted Utah 61-59 on New Year's Eve to
snap a two-game losing streak that dropped the Bulldogs from the
Top 25.
"It had been a long time since we lost three in a row,"
Bouldin said, referring to a four-game losing streak last December.
Bouldin made 8 of 11 shots, including 6-of-8 3-pointers, for
Gonzaga (10-4).
"The guys did a good job of finding the open look," Bouldin
said. "That felt good."
Boston Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell, the World Series MVP,
attended the game and spoke to the Zags in the locker room
afterwards.
"That made it an unbelievable night," Gonzaga coach Mark Few
said.
Tyler Kepkay scored 16 points to lead Utah (8-4), which stayed
close by making a season high 12 of 27 3-pointers, but shot just 40
percent in the game, compared to 44 percent from 3-point range.
Shaun Green and Luke Nevill added 15 each for the Utes, who came
into the game as the nation's fourth-best shooting team at 51
percent.
"They definitely weren't the best defensive team we played the
whole year," Keykay said. "We got the shots we wanted."
Coach Jim Boylen was not upset his team attempted 27 3-pointers.
"I thought 26 of them were as wide open as you could get," he
said. "I'll take those shots anytime we can get them."
After leading by one at halftime, the Zags scored the first 10
points of the second half -- seven by Bouldin -- for a 36-25 lead.
Bouldin hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 12-3 Gonzaga run for a
50-38 lead with seven minutes left.
The Utes kept scoring, but Bouldin made two more 3-pointers to
maintain a 56-45 lead.
Nevill scored three straight layups to cut Gonzaga's lead to
56-51 with 2:07 left.
After Jeremy Pargo scored for the Zags, Curtis Eatmon's long
3-pointer brought the Utes to within 58-54 with 1:03 left.
After a Bouldin free throw, Nevill sank a long jumper to cut
Gonzaga's lead to 59-56 with 10.3 seconds left.
Utah fouled on the inbound play and Josh Heytvelt sank both free
throws for a 61-56 lead with 8.8 seconds left. Eatmon's 3-pointer
at the buzzer was not enough for Utah.
Despite horrendous shooting, the Utes led most of the first half
until Gonzaga's Pargo tied the score at 19 with 3:36 left. The
teams swapped baskets until Pargo's 3-pointer lifted Gonzaga to a
26-25 halftime lead.
Heytvelt scored 14 points in the first half for the Zags,
topping his season high, and finished with 16. The Zags shot 50
percent in the game.
Gonzaga assistant coach Ray Giacoletti was head coach at Utah
for three years until he was dismissed after last season. He
recruited most of the players on the Utes' squad.
"We won this one for Coach Giac," Bouldin said.
Few said it was good to get a win after losses to Oklahoma and
Tennessee knocked the Zags off the poll.
"Matt had huge back-to-back games," Few said, referring to the
21 points Bouldin scored against Tennessee.
Heytvelt also had his first solid game since coming back from
ankle surgery, scoring 12 of Gonzaga's first 16 points.
"He really allowed us to get our legs under us," Few said.