After a tough loss on the road to Stanford, Utah bounced back against an Oregon State Beavers team that has struggled thus far this season. Keba Keita and Branden Carlson dominated in this one, combing for 35 of the Utah points and securing 25 rebounds between the two of them. Utah controlled the majority of the game and ended up with a crucial 74-47 win.
First Half
The defensive intensity for Utah was on full display early on in this one, holding Oregon State to just 30% from the field. Utah out-rebounded the Beavers 25-15 in the first half as the interior length for the Utes continued to be a problem for the opposition. The Runnin’ Utes headed into the locker room holding a 33-22 lead as they looked to close this one out in the second half and remain undefeated at home for the year.
The first 13 minutes of the first half were tightly contested as Utah trailed 19-18 at the 7:17 minute mark. The final seven minutes, however, were all Utah, as they allowed Oregon State to score just three points. The Utes were able to end the half on a 15-3 run to grab an 11-point lead heading into halftime.
Deivon Smith continued to thrive as the starting point guard as Rollie Worster sat out his second consecutive game with a foot injury. Smith put up 10 first-half points while dishing out four assists, adding two rebounds. Keita got the start as another Ute, Lawson Lovering, sat out due to injury. Keita put up eight points and snagged eight rebounds, while going 4-4 from the free-throw line to help pace the Utah offense. Cole Bajema continued to shoot the three-ball well, knocking down two early shots from long distance.
The defensive energy needed to continue in the second half if Utah wanted to close this one out against a tenacious Oregon State team.
Second Half
The second half was all Utah as they stormed out of halftime, taking a 56-28 lead thanks to a 3-pointer from Carlson at the 11:45 mark. The Utes continued to apply defensive pressure, forcing the Beavers into tough contested shots and pushing the tempo offensively.
Oregon State had no answer for Carlson in the second half, as he continued to expose the Beaver defense throughout the majority of the half. The Utah defense played exceptionally well in both halves of play, absolutely dominating the undersized Beaver frontcourt.
As the second half continued, Utah showed no signs of slowing down, as their offense seemed unstoppable. Keita continued to dominate on both ends of the floor, grabbing almost every 50/50 ball and seemingly being in the perfect spot to score every time offensively. Keita finished with 15 total rebounds and an astounding eight offensive boards to lead both teams on the glass. The Utes ended up out-rebounding Oregon State 52-31 to pull out the much-needed victory.
Utes Stuffing the Stat Sheet
Keita and Carlson both put up double-doubles in this one. Keita ended with 18 points and 15 rebounds, leading in both categories. Carlson was close behind, finishing with 17 points of his own and grabbing 10 hard-fought rebounds. Smith continued to dominate at the point guard position, fishing with 14 points and eight assists while turning the ball over just once. Gabe Madsen finished with nine points, hitting three 3-pointers, while Bajema rounded out the majority of the scoring with eight points, knocking down two 3-pointers.
What’s Next for the Utes?
Utah will take on the Oregon Ducks at the John M. Huntsman Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1:00 p.m. MST. Utah will look to secure a win against an extremely hot Oregon team in this one. Tune into ESPN to catch all the action.
Kyle garrison • Jan 18, 2024 at 10:15 pm
Go utes, excited for the game on Sunday!