SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) - The Runnin' Utes are missing starting point guard Rollie Worster, but Deivon Smith is making sure the team doesn't skip a beat.
Smith scored 15 of his career-high 24 points in the second half and Utah got the better of Oregon for just the third time in 26 tries with an 80-77 victory on Sunday. Utah improved to 11-0 at the Huntsman Center this season.
Smith, who last week became the fifth Utah player ever to record a triple-double, sank 9 of 17 shots with three 3-pointers and finished one rebound and one assist away from a triple-double for the Utes (14-5, 5-3 Pac-12 Conference).
Utah snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Ducks (13-5, 5-2) and beat Oregon at home for the first time in nine tries. Utah's only previous home win over the Ducks came during the 2012-13 season, the Utes' second in the Pac-12.
"Obviously a great win for us," said head coach Craig Smith. "Oregon is a great team and they had our number. We were 2-25 in Pac-12 play against them coming into it. Love the resiliency, made some plays late, executed at the very end and found a way to win at home. It's a great win for us, and we took care of business."
Cole Bajema finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for Utah. Keba Keita, Branden Carlson and Ben Carlson all scored 12.
Jermaine Couisnard had 26 points to lead Oregon. Couisnard made 9 of 15 shots, including 7 of 10 from beyond the arc. N'Faly Dante totaled 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Dante hit 10 of 15 shots in notching his second double-double in just four games this season.
Couisnard sank three 3-pointers and scored 13 to help Oregon take a 33-32 lead into halftime. Smith had 11 points and Keita scored 10 on 4-for-5 shooting for Utah.
Dante followed a dunk with a layup to put Oregon up 47-42 with 14 minutes left to play. Ben Carlson hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Utah pulled even at 48. The lead changed hands four times until he hit another 3-pointer and Branden Carlson followed with a layup for a 60-57 Utah lead.
Couisnard hit two 3-pointers and Dante had a layup as the Ducks used an 8-0 run to take a 67-63 lead with 4:51 remaining. Smith drilled back-to-back 3-pointers, adding a layup and 1-of-2 free throws in a personal 9-0 run and the Utes led 72-67 with 2:01 to go.
Dante had a three-point play and Couisnard buried another 3-pointer after a bucket by Keita to get the Ducks within 74-73 at the 1:20 mark. Smith rebounded his own miss and scored, but Dante answered with a layup to keep Oregon within a point. Smith missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 28 seconds to go, but Couisnard and Dante both missed shots, leading to two free throws by Bajema for a three-point lead.
Bajema fouled Keeshawn Barthelemy to avoid the tying 3-pointer. Barthelemy made the first, missed the second on purpose and Dante grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Dante missed the first attempt and banked in the second attempt while trying to miss. Bajema hit two free throws with one second left to seal it.
Utah next hits the road to play Washington State on Wednesday.