Coming off a big win against arch-rival BYU, the Runnin’ Utes traveled to the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas for a tough matchup against the No. 7 Houston Cougars. Despite facing one of the nation’s top teams, the Utes struggled to find their rhythm on both ends of the court, ultimately falling 70-36 in a one-sided contest, allowing the Cougars to shoot 48% from the field while only shooting 30% themselves.
The game quickly got away from the Runnin’ Utes in the first half as Houston took control right from the opening tip. Utah found themselves in an early hole, calling a timeout just five minutes in after falling behind 12-5. Unfortunately, the break did little to stop Houston’s momentum, as the Cougars exploded for an 11-0 run immediately after, extending their lead and leaving the Utes scrambling for answers.
Houston, featuring a starting lineup of four-star talent, overpowered Utah by dominating the physical battle on both ends of the floor. The Cougars scored efficiently in the paint while stifling the Utes defensively, racking up 11 blocks to Utah’s single rejection. By halftime, Houston had built an insurmountable 41-17 lead.
Gabe Madsen led the way for Utah with eight points, while Keanu Dawes contributed seven points and pulled down nine rebounds. The Utes, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end, struggled offensively, connecting on only 5 of 17 attempts from beyond the arc.
Takeaways
The biggest takeaway from the game was Utah’s struggles with turnovers. The Utes committed a staggering 26 turnovers, compared to just five by the Cougars — a margin that left Utah with little chance to stay competitive.
In the postgame presser, head coach Craig Smith had this to say about turnovers and how it affected the result of the game: “You have to eliminate losing to win … We played Baylor, we played Iowa State, but we turned it over against those guys, and it was the same kind of blueprint to defeat … We take care of the ball; we do some good things.”
The strength of the Big 12 was on full display, as Houston showcased why the conference is one of the toughest in college basketball. Today the Cougars reminded Utah that every game in the Big 12 will be a battle.
“You can learn from this,” Smith said. “We’re new to the Big 12. We were picked at the bottom. We’re working to climb, and you have to be able to adapt and adjust. This is game seven [in the conference] for us. You have to learn, grow and then move on.”
Tourney Watch
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, the Utes are on the outside looking in for the NCAA “March Madness” Tournament. Lunardi projected 8 Big 12 conference teams in the tournament with Cincinnati on the bubble. In such an elite conference, Utah has a path to the tourney but must pick up some key wins against the teams projected to make the tourney.
The Runnin’ Utes can start that today against a Baylor team that has lost two out of their last three games. The game will be played in the Huntsman Center at 2:30 p.m. (MST).
