With under two minutes to play, Utah looked like it had finally found a way to close out a gritty Big 12 win. Despite a cold shooting night and a nine-point hole in the first half, the Utes had clawed their way back, leaned into their defense, and were up five after Keanu Dawes buried a tough fadeaway jumper with 1:52 remaining. But what followed was a collapse that’s become all too familiar during a tough first season under head coach Alex Jensen.
Cincinnati closed the game on a 9-0 run, flipping the script in the final moments and walking away with a 69-65 win. For Utah, it was another gut-punch loss - their seventh straight - in a game where they did so many things right, only to fall apart when it mattered most.
“We got a little tentative, and it’s a shame,” Jensen said postgame on ESPN 700 AM, summing up a finish that saw the Utes miss free throws, give up a crucial fast break dunk, and come up empty on multiple chances to retake control.
Let’s break down how it all unraveled.
The Final Two Minutes: A Series of Missed Chances
After Dawes’ jumper gave Utah a 65-60 lead, Cincinnati responded with urgency. Day Day Thomas scored following an offensive rebound - one of the few the Bearcats grabbed on the night - to cut it to 65-62. Then came a missed front end of a 1-and-1 by Terrence Brown, and Baba Miller calmly knocked down two free throws to make it a one-point game with just over a minute left.
On the next possession, Don McHenry missed a runner, and Utah’s transition defense - which had held up for most of the game - broke down at the worst possible time. Jizzle James pushed the ball ahead to Jalen Celestine, who found Miller along the baseline for a go-ahead dunk with 40 seconds left. Just like that, Cincinnati had the lead, 66-65.
Utah still had chances. Dawes missed a three.
McHenry, who had been solid all game, missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and later a contested three. Cincinnati, meanwhile, hit 3-of-4 free throws in the closing seconds to seal it.
The Utes were left ruing the missed opportunities - particularly at the line, where they went 12-of-15 overall but faltered when it mattered most - and the breakdown in transition that led to the game’s pivotal bucket.
“We missed the front of the 1-on-1 and then … transition D, we had a couple guys fall down,” Jensen explained. “Seydou stopped and stabbed at the ball, and then KD, as hard as 2-on-1 is, we talk about fouling them and not letting him have it.”
A Tale of Two Halves - And a Thin Margin for Error
Utah’s shooting woes were a problem all game, but especially in the second half. The Utes shot just 30.3% after the break and finished the night at 36.1% from the field. That kind of inefficiency makes every possession critical, and Utah just didn’t cash in when it had the chance.
Despite hitting more threes than Cincinnati (9 to 4), Utah was outscored 32-16 in the paint and 12-4 in fast break points. The Utes actually won the rebounding battle 40-30 - including a 16-8 edge on the offensive glass - and turned that into a 16-11 advantage in second-chance points. But they couldn’t overcome a negative assist-to-turnover ratio (12 assists to 13 turnovers) or the late-game execution issues.
Jensen has been honest all season about his team’s slim margin for error. Between a roster full of new faces, injuries, and the weekly gauntlet that is the Big 12, Utah’s had to fight for every inch.
And for 38 minutes, they did. But the final two?
That’s where the cracks showed.
“I think we fought hard,” Jensen said. “I think down the stretch, they got a little tentative, but again, it’s hard to win when you have more turnovers than assists on offense.”
Bright Spots in a Tough Loss
There were still positives to take away. Don McHenry led the way with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists, including three made threes. Dawes had another strong outing with 16 points and 14 rebounds - his third straight standout performance - and continues to be a bright spot for a team looking for consistency.
“He’s had a great three-game run. I think he’s played really hard,” Jensen said of Dawes.
“I think he’s being more aggressive. It was great on him.
Again, we continually want him to keep doing that, and hopefully others can play off of him and use that to better their game.”
Brown added 11 points, and Seydou Traore chipped in 10 points and five boards.
On the other side, Cincinnati got balanced scoring, with four players in double figures. Thomas led the way with 16, while Miller added 14 points, seven boards, and three assists - including the game-winning dunk.
Mousthapa Thiam’s size caused problems inside, as he posted a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double. Keyshaun Tillery added 10 points and three assists.
The Bearcats did just enough, shooting 44.4% from the field and 17-of-22 from the free-throw line. And when the game was on the line, they executed - something Utah is still learning how to do.
The Road Ahead
This loss drops Utah to 1-11 in Big 12 play, and while the standings may not show it, the Utes are competing. They’re battling on the boards, showing flashes defensively, and getting strong efforts from key players. But the late-game execution - the missed free throws, the turnovers, the defensive breakdowns - continues to be the difference between close losses and breakthrough wins.
Jensen knows this is part of the process. It’s a rebuild, it’s a grind, and it’s happening in arguably the toughest conference in college basketball.
“We did a good job defensively. You’re gonna make mistakes, just gotta eliminate (mental errors),” Jensen said. “I thought we played hard, and it’s a shame, because I told them all along, we’re good enough to win these games.”
Up next, Utah heads to Morgantown to face West Virginia on Wednesday. It’s the second leg of a two-game road swing, and while the Utes will be looking for a win, they’ll also be looking for growth - the kind that turns close calls into victories.
“We’ll probably take tomorrow and watch this game,” Jensen said. “That’s the one nice thing about the road - you get to spend time together. … Hopefully we can, like I told them after the game, get better individually and collectively.”
For Utah, the challenge now is simple: learn from the sting, stay together, and keep building.