LAS VEGAS — Despite holding an 18-point lead, Utah Tech narrowly escaped an Abilene Christian comeback as the third-seeded Trailblazers move on to the WAC semifinals after defeating the sixth-seeded Wildcats 80-74.
First-team All-WAC member Ethan Potter finished with 25 points and seven rebounds in the win while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor while Chance Trujillo scored all 11 of his points in the first half, connecting on three 3-pointers.
Utah Tech will face second-seeded California Baptist Friday at 9:30 p.m. MDT.
Potter opened the game with six of Utah Tech's 11 points, all of which came in the paint as the Trailblazers held a 11-7 lead.
Utah Tech went on a 7-0 run over two minutes to extend their lead to 23-15, while Abilene Christian suffered a scoreless three minutes.
The Trailblazers continued to set flames, taking a 31-18 lead off the hands of a Trujillo 3-pointer. By forcing eight turnovers, Utah Tech was able to turn in 12 points to strengthen its lead.
Trujillo hit another 3-pointer and Utah Tech's lead blossomed to 15 points with just over four minutes left in the half.
By the end of the half, Utah Tech had set a comfortable 18-point lead, dropping 46 points on 62% shooting from the floor and beyond the arc. Trujillo and Potter combined for 25 of the team's points as well as a combined 9-of-13 from the floor.
Abilene Christian came out with more intensity in the second half, trimming Utah Tech's lead to 11 before the Trailblazers hit back-to-back 3-pointers off of back-to-back turnovers.
Utah Tech maintained its lead at 67-51, mainly dominating the paint where the Trailblazers scored 16 of their 21 second-half points off layups.
Despite the lead, the Trailblazers never were able to fully pull away, letting the Wildcats linger around to make a run.
Utah Tech's lead dwindled to nine points, but Abilene Christian's leading scorer, Bradyn Hubbard, fouled out giving Utah Tech an advantage.
Regardless of Hubbard, Abilene Christian narrowed the deficit to six points with just under three minutes to play.
Six straight buckets for Abilene Christian in the final two minutes trimmed the lead to two in the final minute, where Utah Tech fed Potter in the lane for a dunk to give them a four point lead with 28 seconds remaining.
Utah Tech was able to hold off the ensuing possession and come away with a 80-74 victory and move on to the semifinal.
