Pelle Larsson scored a career-high 27 points, including six in the final overtime period, as No. 8 Arizona handed Utah its first home loss of the season by outlasting the Utes 105-99 in triple overtime on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
Arizona (18-5, 9-3 Pac-12) missed final-possession shots at the end of regulation (tied at 76), the first overtime (tied at 82) and the second overtime (tied at 91) before pulling away in the third extra period.
Utah (15-8, 6-6) trailed by 16 at halftime but roared back by making its first seven 3-point attempts in the second half. Deivon Smith posted his second triple-double of the season with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Branden Carlson had 27 points and 15 rebounds for Utah, which fell to 12-1 at home.
Caleb Love had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona, while Oumar Ballo had 10 points and 16 rebounds. Keshad Johnson had 17 points and nine rebounds, Kylan Boswell scored 16 points and Larsson added seven rebounds and eight assists in his 48 minutes.
Arizona had a three-point lead midway through the third overtime when Love provided key breathing room by hitting a spot-up 3-pointer at the 2:13 mark to make it 99-93 Wildcats.
Utah failed to answer when Gabe Madsen missed a jumper in the lane, and then Arizona went up 101-93 with 1:05 left when Keba Keita was called for goaltending on a driving layup by Larsson.
Larsson hit two free throws with 21.1 seconds remaining to ice the game.
Utah’s poor free-throw shooting (10 of 21) made a difference.
Utah trailed 41-25 at halftime but energized the home crowd with its hot shooting that kept the pressure on the Wildcats. The Utes tied the game at 63 on a free throw at the 6:09 mark.
Utah finally poked ahead at 68-67, but Larsson answered with a layup on the ensuing possession with 4:16 left in regulation.
Arizona was hanging on at 76-73 with the ball in the final minute, but Love missed a midrange jumper and Madsen pulled up for a fastbreak 3-pointer in transition to tie the game with 19.4 seconds to go.
Madsen finished with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from behind the arc. Keita had 18 points and seven rebounds. Utah made 2 of 10 3-point attempts in the first half but went 9 of 19 the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media