SALT LAKE CITY - Despite a strong second half, Stanford was unable to keep pace in overtime and dropped a 64-56 decision at Utah on Thursday night.
Trailing 28-22 at halftime, Stanford (16-6, 5-4 Pac-12) flipped the script in the second half and missed a chance to win the game in regulation when Tyrell Terry's three-pointer was off the mark.
Branden Carlson had 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks to lead Utah (13-9, 4-6 Pac-12), which also received 15 points from Timmy Allen.
Terry scored a team-high 14 points, Daejon Davis added 12 while Oscar da Silva grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with eight points.
The Cardinal, which paces the Pac-12 in scoring defense and ranks seventh-best nationally at 59.7 points per game, held the Utes to 36.8 percent shooting. However, Stanford connected on just 35.4 percent overall, finished 6-23 from long distance and totaled a 4-4 free throw mark compared to Utah's 16-23 clip.
Utah led 26-16 with a smooth running offense before the Cardinal clamped down and the Utes began self-destructing, going the final 10 minutes of the half without a field goal but still leading 28-22 at the break.
Thanks to the Utes' trapping defense that seemed to surprise the Cardinal, the Utes were able to overcome their own anemic attack.
Jaxon Brenchley made a 3-pointer and then fed Carlson for a dunk to make it 59-53 in overtime and essentially clinch the win.
Stanford seized its first lead of the game at 45-44 following a lay-up from da Silva, as the Cardinal held the Utes scoreless for over six minutes.
Terry's 3-pointer with 55 seconds to play put the Cardinal up 50-49 for its second and final lead of the game.
Allen made 1 of 2 free throws to tie the game at 50-50 with 3.9 seconds remaining.
The clock didn't start when the Cardinal inbounded the ball and rushed up the court. The officials whistled the play dead and, after a lengthy delay, decided to give Stanford the ball near midcourt with 1.6 seconds on the clock. Terry missed a 30-footer at the regulation buzzer.
Stanford concludes its road trip on Saturday, visiting No. 24/24 Colorado.