Takeaways: Utah Needs To Use This 88-80 Win As Wake-Up Call
Nov 30, 2024, 10:12 PM | Updated: Dec 2, 2024, 2:26 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah had a surprisingly tough contest Saturday afternoon against Eastern Washington.
They secured an 88-80 victory but it took a full 40-minute effort to secure the win.
Dialed🆙
Utah Highlights⬇️#Big12MBB | @UtahMBB pic.twitter.com/zzF6zfbztr— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) December 1, 2024
Here are some takeaways from the game.
Utah Was Put To The Test
Look, despite its record, Eastern Washington is a competitive squad. The Eagles were up 17 on Colorado and took Missouri down to the wire. It’s a group playing better basketball than its record would indicate. However, Utah has a very good squad, and this game should have been won comfortably.
The Eagles played a tough brand of ball; they were physical and mucked up the game. They did their best to take away clean 3-point looks, which exposed them inside.
Utah finished the game just 4-of-19 from 3-point range but hauled in 17 offensive rebounds, which led to 21 second-chance points. Due to the muckiness of the game, the Utes also attempted 45 free throws but only converted 28 of them.
Meanwhile, the Eagles made 17-of-18 from the line, created open looks from 3-point range, and knocked down 11-of-30.
Though they won, this was a tough test, and Utah was fortunate to win. Utah has plenty to clean up, especially their shooting. This should be a wake-up call for the Utes, who will face an even tougher test next Saturday.
Gabe Madsen, Eazra Ausar Offense
Finding the trailing @GabeMadsen53 for the triple to put the Utes up!🎯
cc: @MiroLittle23 #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/LSbvlq9eZt
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 30, 2024
Madsen has started the last two games right by getting to the rim and scoring a couple of easy ones. He scored the first seven points with two layups and a 3-pointer.
Though he didn’t shoot as efficiently from deep, 3-of-8, he still finished 7-of-14 from the field. Most impressively, he went 11-of-12 from the free-throw line.
With 28 tonight, his average has risen to 21.8 points per game, which leads all players in the Big 12.
Too strong, @ezraausar 💪 pic.twitter.com/Izv3riYNBy
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) December 1, 2024
As for Ausar, he’s certainly benefitted from the return of Lovering. He finished this one with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. He got to the free throw line 12 times but only converted 6 of them.
Ausar relentlessly attacks the hoop. He utilizes his fantastic combination of size, strength, and athleticism to finish at the rim or draw fouls. Among all players in college basketball, Ausar is No. 47 in free throw attempts per game at 6.83.
Ausar has been a good source of offense despite his poor free-throw shooting. Improving there would make a big difference.
Utah Needs More From Their Bench
Eastern Washington’s bench was the loudest part of the arena for most of the game. The Eagles’ bench brought additional communication and energy to the game.
On the other end of the court, Utah players were quiet and content sitting on the bench. The stark contrast was noticeable and should serve as a good lesson for Utah moving forward.
Players engaging in the game from the bench can make a difference. Time and time again, EWU’s bench players, impacted the energy and level of execution, particularly on the defensive end.
Utah isn’t the most talented or experienced team. In order to be competitive in the new Big 12, the team needs every little detail working in its favor.
There’s plenty to address on the floor but moving forward, Utah absolutely needs more engagement from the bench.
Lawson Lovering’s Impact
The big man returned just in time. In two games, he’s averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds (6.0 being offensive rebounds), and 1.5 assists.
He’s totaled 12 offensive rebounds in these two games and has converted 12-of-16 shots from the floor. Most of his work is around the rim, where Utah struggled to convert without him.
More @lawson_lovering you say?
On the offensive boards with the SLAM to boot🔨#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/f3tRQRQlK7
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 30, 2024
Utah relied mostly on their 3-point shooting through the first five games. Lovering has provided some ruggedness inside and the ability to get easy buckets.
He had a stretch in the second half where he completely dominated the offensive end. He either scored or grabbed an offensive rebound and then scored, accounting for 9 of 11 points over a couple of minutes of action in the second half.
That’s important as Utah welcomes Saint Mary’s to Salt Lake City next weekend.
