Takeaways From Utah Basketball’s 26-Point Win Over Arizona State

SALT LAKE CITY—In their first game at home since the surprising coaching change, the Utah defeated Arizona State, 99-73, and proved there is still plenty to play for this season. 

The Runnin’ Utes were led by tried and true leaders, while also getting some key surprising contributions from others throughout the game as well.

Josh Eilert has stepped up as interim head coach and helped lead the Utes to a big win in front of the home crowd.

Here are the takeaways from the game.

Utah showed there’s still plenty to play for this season

After falling to Arizona on Wednesday night, all eyes were on the Runnin’ Utes in their first game in the Huntsman Center since the coaching change. Utah showed tonight that they’re still focused on the here and now.

Utah played loosely, like a group playing with house money. Yet, it was also a group that competed hard and raised the intensity level in the second half. Some players seemed to have regained some confidence, which was refreshing.

It wasn’t just that they defeated the Sun Devils; it was that the group played hard and had the body language of a team still hungry for competition. Given ASU’s own situation amid their struggles, the difference in body language and togetherness between them and Utah could not have been more obvious.

With the win, the Utes improved to 16-13 overall, 8-10 in Big 12 play, which has them 10th in the conference standings. With two games left, the 8th seed is still in play but Utah is in a good spot with the Big Tournament a couple of weeks away.

In the post-game press conference, interim head coach Josh Eilert had this to say about the guys:

“It’s a great group of guys, they have a great chemistry in the locker room and they really cheer for one another. There’s not a bunch of guys who are out there for themselves. In situations like this, people can look to the future and say I am going to prove my value whether it be here or wherever they choose to go. So the fact that they are still locking in on their teammates shows the character of the guys that Coach Smith brought into this program. They’re fighting for one another, and, yea, they are a little loose, but that’s a fine line, especially in situations like this. I want them to have fun and enjoy it cause it goes fast.”

🎙️ @josheilert #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/Zp4gcLFeiB

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) March 2, 2025

Ezra Ausar, Keanu Dawes came up BIG

Utah’s top two leading scorers tonight, they combined for 40 points on 13-of-19 shots from the field. That’s incredible efficiency, due largely to their success at the charity stripe where they combined to convert 14-of-18, with Ausar accounting for 11 of those makes himself.

These two were the difference in the second half for Utah. Ausar scored 13 of his 25 points in the second frame, while Dawes scored 8 of his 15 and grabbed 9 of his 11 boards. Ausar finished +20 and Dawes finished +25 in the second frame alone.

These two did a lot to disrupt the Sun Devils on the defensive end as well. Dawes was a disruptive presence with his length, while Ausar’s athleticism presented a difficult challenge for Sun Devils to matchup against.

Promising play from Mike Sharavjamts, Mason Madsen

These two seemed to benefit the most from the looseness of the moment. Both played with a confidence that has been missing for most of the season. They played free, yet competed hard and avoided recklessness.

Madsen provided an instant spark of offense off the bench. He was responsible for a personal 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer and consecutive buckets at the rim off of heady back cuts. He ended the night with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while also grabbing 4 rebounds and dishing 4 assists.

Sharavjamts showcased his natural playmaking and flair, which was good to see. He cranked it up a notch as a scorer in the second half. He ended with 11 second half points, which led to a total of 14 for the game, while also dishing out 6 assists.

These two seemed to play with a refreshed mindset, which was just good to see. Utah will need more of it in their final two contests.

Exclamation point for @mongolshark‼️ #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/1nNsf6zNUT

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) March 2, 2025

Brady Smith scoring the final points of the game

Utah had built a very comfortable lead and emptied the bench with 1:32 left in the game. Craig’s son Brady Smith was included in the changes.

With the shot clock winding down, the ball found Smith on the right wing. He drove to the rim and threw up a runner, through contact, and time slowed down. At that moment, you could literally feel everyone hoping the shot would fall, and it did exactly that. Then, the crowd, his teammates on the floor and bench, all rose to their feet in a roaring applause.

Given all that’s transpired this week, it was a cool moment to witness.

Utah fans showed their support, need it again Tuesday

It was good to see the turnout for the game today. The players deserved a show of support and fans provided it tonight, it was good to see.

Tuesday night’s contest against West Virginia is Senior Night, and a number of guys will be honored. Not only that, it’s an important game in the Big 12 standings. 

After tonight’s performance, it’s clear this group is focused on finishing the season the right way. The fanbase should do the same Tuesday night and turn out for the game.

UP NEXT – West Virginia vs Utah

The Utes will host West Virginia for their final home game of the 2024-25 regular-season on Tuesday, March 4, as interim head coach Josh Eilert squares off against his former team, this time at the helm of the Runnin’ Utes. Ted Emrich will be calling the action for fans on ESPN+ alongside former Stanford head coach Jerod Haase starting at 7 p.m. (MST) while the Utah basketball program honors its seniors ahead of the game.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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