Fresh off their first conference win of the season against Oklahoma State last Saturday, the Runnin’ Utes (11-6, 3-3) headed to Fort Worth on Wednesday to take on the TCU Horned Frogs (9-7, 2-3), aiming to secure their second conference win — and their first conference road win of the season.
Luckily they delivered, snapping TCU’s nine-game home winning streak thanks to a combined 33-point effort from Gabe Madsen and Keanu Dawes. Utah never trailed at any point in the game, controlling the pace from start to finish with their tough defense – the Utes’ second consecutive game holding their opponent under 70 points.
This game marked the first conference matchup since 2011 between the former Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference rivals.
The Runnin’ Utes started the first half slowly but managed to outplay the Horned Frogs, holding them to just 33% shooting from the field. Madsen led the way for Utah, scoring 11 points and serving as the key offensive facilitator for the Utes for the period, while TCU’s Vasaen Allette matched his output with 11 points of his own to keep the Horned Frogs in the game. Except for a brief period where the game was tied early, the Utes’ composure allowed them to lead for a majority of the half and head into halftime with a 30-26 lead.
Utah came out strong to start the second half, opening with a 7-0 run that pushed their lead into double digits. Their defense played tough and disciplined basketball to limit TCU to just 37% shooting from the field by the game’s end, while committing four less fouls than last game. Utah extended their lead to the biggest margin of the game, 45-31, with 14:16 remaining. Although TCU managed to cut the deficit to six points several times in the second half, Utah’s defense held firm, preventing the Horned Frogs from closing the gap any further and closing the game with a highly encouraging 73-65 victory.
Takeaways
For the second straight game the Runnin’ Utes defense proved their strength — a consistent effort that head coach Craig Smith has emphasized as crucial to winning ball games. Utah’s composure throughout the game, particularly in maintaining their lead during key moments, showcased growth in their ability to manage pressure. Smith’s halftime adjustments proved to be effective as the Utes played their best basketball coming out of the break, something that was a key issue in games earlier in the season.
The ability to make adjustments is a crucial factor in securing victories, especially in the highly competitive Big 12, widely regarded as one of the toughest conferences in the nation. It’s especially encouraging to see this capability on display, as it will be vital in their biggest matchup of the season so far against BYU on Saturday, who have been struggling in conference play.
The Utes’ next matchup is against bitter rival BYU (11-6, 2-4) on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Huntsman Center, a highly anticipated matchup.