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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Reserve guard Chris Kupets broke out of a shooting slump with back-to-back 3-pointers that keyed a game-breaking run and lifted Utah to a 67-60 victory over Pepperdine on Tuesday night.
Kupets, 0 for 7 in the first half, made his first three shots in the second half and keyed a 14-6 run that broke open a tie game to keep Utah (6-2) undefeated at home this season (5-0).
After two dunks by teammate Jason Washburn tied the score 45-45, Kupets connected from long range to give the Utes their first lead of the second half.
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Will Clyburn, who scored 12 of his game-high 23 points in the second half, capped the spurt with a basket to put Pepperdine down 59-51.
Washburn had 12 points and eight rebounds for Utah, which won its third in a row. Clyburn was 8 of 13 from the field and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
Keion Bell scored 15 points and Josh Lowery added 10 points for the Waves (3-7), who have lost five of their last seven. Both teams struggled from long range. Utah made 6 of 23 3-point attempts, and Pepperdine was just 3 of 17, 1 of 8 in the second half.
The Waves committed 17 turnovers but outrebounded Utah 44-37. Taylor Darby had 10 rebounds and Dane Suttle Jr. scored nine points for the Waves.
Utah trailed 29-26 at halftime, but shot 53 percent in the second half to secure the victory.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(Picture courtesy Tom Smart, Deseret News)
