An emotional week ends on positive note for Utah with well-earned blowout win over Arizona State

It had been a difficult week for the Utah Runnin’ Utes, from a coaching change Monday to losing two days later in blowout fashion at No. 22 Arizona, with hardly any time for a breather.

That had to make Saturday night’s 99-73 victory over Arizona State a little sweeter.

For a half, and even for a while in the second half, the Sun Devils gave Utah a game on the Utes’ home court at the Huntsman Center. The Utes, though, put the game away with a 16-2 second-half run that started with 11 minutes left in the contest.

“I just told those guys in there how proud I am of them,” Utah interim coach Josh Eilert said. “(We’ve) been through a lot, but they’re a resilient bunch.

“Worried a little bit about how loose they were early, especially today ... but it’s a fine line. I’d rather have that than the alternative, so we kind of had to check them a little bit, but they’re having fun together. They’re enjoying these last few games, and we’ve got a lot to play for.”

Ezra Ausar had his sixth 20-point game of the season, finishing with 25 points, one off his season high, while shooting an efficient 7 of 10 from the field and 11 of 14 from the free-throw line.

“If I can keep him checked and play to his strengths, we’re a really good basketball team, because he is a load to handle down there,” Eilert said.

Ausar’s effort was a symbol of one thing Utah dominated against the Sun Devils: the paint. The Utes (16-13, 8-10 Big 12) had a 48-20 advantage in points in the paint, and held a 40-29 rebounding edge.

“There’s some games we’re punching the paint and, you know, it feels like they’re out there playing Plinko. The ball just keeps on bouncing around and it’s not going in the hole,” Eilert said. “So the fact that we were way more aggressive at the rim and playing with force and finishing around the rim, it was really refreshing to me.”

1 of 27

2 of 27

3 of 27

4 of 27

5 of 27

6 of 27

7 of 27

8 of 27

9 of 27

10 of 27

11 of 27

12 of 27

13 of 27

14 of 27

15 of 27

16 of 27

17 of 27

18 of 27

19 of 27

20 of 27

21 of 27

22 of 27

23 of 27

24 of 27

25 of 27

26 of 27

27 of 27

That ended up being more than enough against a shorthanded Arizona State team.

Keanu Dawes also had a standout night, finishing with 15 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. The night from Ausar and Dawes was just the latest example of the potential these two underclassmen have to be more consistent game-changers in the future, even as they are learning to be right now.

Dawes, who had his first back-to-back double-doubles of the season, said he’s finding a good “flow” right now, and he credited his teammates for that.

“My team’s doing a good job getting me involved, keeping my energy up. I had a little rough stretch when I first checked in the game, and my teammates did a good job and just kept me going,” he said.

It was also a good night for a couple other Utes who scored in double-figures. Mike Sharavjamts ended up with 14 points and made three 3-pointers while adding a team-high six assists, while Mason Madsen came off the bench and put up 13 points, his first double-digit game since Feb. 5.

Utah ended up with a dominant 41-7 advantage in bench points as well.

Initially, it looked like Arizona State (13-16, 4-14 Big 12) would be able to go toe-to-toe with Utah for longer. Joson Sanon scored 20 first-half points on 8 of 11 shooting, with four 3-pointers, as the Sun Devils shot 56.7% in the first half and led by as many as seven points in the opening stanza.

Sanon ended up with 28 points on the night.

Utah kept pace, shooting 57.1% over the opening 20 minutes, with Ausar’s 12 first-half points leading the way.

That aforementioned 16-2 run finally gave Utah fans a chance to breathe a little after the teams traded the lead in the second half’s opening minutes.

A Hunter Erickson 3 gave Utah its first double-digit edge at 71-61, and Ausar scored five points during the run, while Zach Keller started and ended it with a pair of 3-pointers.

“I think it’s just intensity,” Ausar said of what helped Utah pull away. “We just continue to encourage each other and take it to the next level.”

By that point, the gassed Arizona State squad couldn’t muster enough energy to keep pace, as the Utes scored 58 points after halftime while holding the Sun Devils to 29% shooting in the second half.

One thing Eilert especially loved was Utah’s ability to take care of the ball. After turning it over 12 times in the loss at Arizona, which led to 19 points for the Wildcats, the Utes had a season-low six against the Sun Devils, including only one in the second half.

“The big key to me from Day 1, especially with this team, is taking care of the basketball,” Eilert said. “We had five first first-half turnovers, and that’s pretty good in itself, and only one the second half.

“We really took care of the ball and and it’s a possession battle in so many ways. If we could take care of the ball, get some extra possessions, which we got a lot more extra possessions in the second half, which really helped us.”

And if the win was welcome enough, it came with a nice capper. Brady Smith, the son of former Utah coach Craig Smith and a walk-on this season, scored the Utes’ final points.

The moment brought a loud, appreciative cheer from the crowd.

“It meant a lot not only because he’s Coach Smith’s son, but he’s just a good person to be around. He’s a good teammate,” Dawes said. “He does a good job of just encouraging the team and bringing the energy up, so it was a special moment, for sure.”

With one week left in the regular season, and with the home finale next Tuesday against West Virginia, the Utes are still in contention to earn a top eight seed — and a first-round bye — at the Big 12 tournament, which runs March 11-15 In Kansas City.

”We talked about that two or three times this week in terms of how much we have to play for, fighting for that first-round bye in Kansas City,” Eilert said.

“So proud of them. They really responded in the second half.”