Utah survives scare from CSU

Victoria Sun

Friday, March 8, 2002 | 9:57 a.m.

With the game clock running out, Colorado State's Andy Birley launched a 3-pointer at the top of the key that bounced unmercifully off the rim, closing the final chapter of a frustrating season for the inexperienced Rams and sounding an alarm for the Utes.

The miss gave Utah a narrow 69-66 victory in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center Thursday night.

The second-seeded Utes will play third-seeded UNLV tonight at 9. In Thursday's finale, the Rebels edged sixth-seeded New Mexico 120-117 in double overtime.

Utah led by as many as nine points in the final five minutes, but Colorado State refused to back down.

"For how many dumb fouls we committed and free throws we missed, yeah, we were lucky to win," Utah guard Jeff Johnsen said. "But Colorado State has played us tough all year and it's hard to beat a team three times.

"I'm happy with the win, but it's frustrating because we almost let it slip away. "

Utah improved to 21-7 while Colorado State finished the year 12-18.

Colorado State's John Rakiecki made a wide open 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds left to make it 68-66.

The Rams then fouled Jeff Johnsen, who made one of two free throws with four seconds left to seal the win.

Luck had a lot to do with the Utes narrow victory, but Johnsen's gritty performance was more skill than anything else.

He cut through the lane for lay-ups, pulled up for jumpers and helped the Utes fend off the pesky Rams by scoring 14 of his career-high 23 points in the second half.

Johnsen recorded his previous career-high of 21 during the Utes' second victory over the Rams this season on Feb. 28.

Colorado State freshman center Matt Nelson had a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough for the hard luck Rams.

Neither was the fact that Colorado State outrebounded Utah 37-25 and the Utes made a horrendous 19-of-34 free throws.

Of his team's latest and final setback of the year, junior Brian Greene, who finished with 13 points for his conference-leading 26th game in double-digits (26), pinned it on youth. The Rams have one senior and five freshman on their roster.

"It's real hard to swallow," Green said. "All year, we've been gong through the same stuff.

"We deserved for that shot to go in because of all we've been through, but that's kind of what you expect with the team that we have. Nobody's been here before.

"It hurts, but it's kind of the story of our season."