Feb 9, 2002
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Jeff Johnsen scored 20 points and Phil Cullen had 14 of his 18 points in the decisive first half as Utah beat San Diego State 70-53 on Saturday.
Utah (17-4, 7-1 Mountain West Conference) dominated after the first six minutes, taking a 42-23 halftime lead and hanging on to beat San Diego State for the 13th straight time.
Cullen came off the bench to sink all four of his 3-point shots in the first half. The Utes sank 7-of-11 from 3-point range in the first and finished 12-for-25. Johnsen hit 5-of-9 3-pointers.
Randy Holcomb led San Diego State (13-10, 2-6) with 14 points, but made just 5-of-18 shots. Utah's smothering defense held the Aztecs to a season-low 29.3 percent shooting (17-of-58) and their lowest point total of the season.
Trailing 12-10 with 14:25 left in the first half, the Utes went on a 23-5 run to take a 33-17 lead. Cullen hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the run.
Utah rebounded from a 54-46 loss to Wyoming on Monday that snapped the nation's longest winning streak (13 games) and the Utes' 48-game home winning streak against conference opponents.
San Diego State played without coach Steve Fisher, who traveled to Illinois on Tuesday to be with his ailing mother. Assistant coach Brian Dutcher took over Fisher's duties.