As Utah’s men’s basketball team readies for No. 20 San Diego State, forward Riley Battin is rapidly shedding the ‘underrated’ tag

If one were to start looking at the factors that helped Utah beat No. 6 Kentucky on Wednesday evening, a few should jump out immediately.

Timmy Allen was the best player on the floor. He was assertive, he was aggressive, he was the lead guy head coach Larry Krystkowiak needs him to be.

Both Gach had 10 points and five rebounds before the first media timeout. The sophomore guard set the early tone in front of a pro-Kentucky crowd on a neutral floor, and the Wildcats spent all night trying to match it.

After missing the Weber State game on Dec. 14 with a rib injury suffered a week earlier against Central Arkansas, Rylan Jones returned to the lineup. The freshman point guard, clearly not 100 percent, gutted out 38 minutes, finishing with 12 points and six assists.

Whether talking about Wednesday’s win or the general feeling around the Utes, who will face 20th-ranked San Diego State on Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Riley Battin’s name does not come up first. That said, maybe Utah doesn’t beat Kentucky on Wednesday night without the 6-foot-9 sophomore.

“He might be under the radar for the general eye, but he’s certainly not within the coaching staff and his teammates,” Krystkowiak told The Salt Lake Tribune after the Kentucky win. “It’s not going to be anything that dazzles you, but like you say, a little under the radar.

“He just scraps and he’s an absolute joy to coach. He won’t walk anywhere, he’s running, he’s engaged.”

With 2:30 to play Wednesday, Kentucky was charging, looking to steal a game it had no business winning. Gach drove the baseline and as the defense collapsed, he spotted Battin rotating to the left corner. Gach swung the ball, and Battin calmly drilled an open 3-pointer for a 66-60 lead.

Utah gave that lead back, but led by two at 68-66 when Battin slid in and drew a charge on Kentucky star freshman Tyrese Maxey. The call was originally a block, but the officials went to the monitor and determined Battin was outside the circle, changing the call to a charge.

Jones hit a free throw down the other end to cap the scoring, then Utah’s defense, stout much of the night, snuffed out Kentucky’s two late attempts at a tying triple.

“It was awesome,” Krystkowiak said. “We change the number on the board for the player of the game, and between the 3 that he hit, the kid just works his butt off.

“He was the first guy on the floor, he’s the first guy in the film room, he just stands for a lot of the right stuff. For him to make those plays, certainly the charge at the end, it’s awesome.”

Battin has taken steps forward in all major categories as a sophomore, averaging 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game. His 56.3 percent shooting from the floor and 44.8 percent from deep are both among the team leaders.