Utah Dominates Arizona State in Second Half for 99-73 Victory
Josh Eilert earned his first win as interim head coach of the Utah Runnin’ Utes on Saturday night, leading them to a commanding 99-73 victory over Arizona State at the Huntsman Center.
This win ended a two-game losing streak for Utah and came after an emotionally charged week following the firing of head coach Craig Smith on Monday. Eilert, who previously served as interim coach at West Virginia last season, is stepping in for Utah’s final three regular-season games.
Utah delivered a dominant second-half performance, outscoring Arizona State 58-30 to pull away. Freshman Ezra Ausar was a standout, scoring 25 points and fueling the Utes’ offensive explosion.
Utah’s control in the paint was clear, especially as Arizona State struggled with injuries, including the absence of freshman forward Jayden Quaintance. The Utes capitalized on this advantage, shooting an impressive 56.5% from the field, including 10 of 25 from three-point range.
Keanu Dawes and Mason Madsen were key contributors off the bench. Dawes posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Madsen added 13 points, including two crucial three-pointers. Mike Sharavjamts also chipped in 14 points, hitting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Arizona State came out strong, taking a 43-41 lead into halftime thanks to Joson Sanon’s hot shooting. Sanon finished with a career-high 28 points, but the Sun Devils struggled in the second half, shooting just 29% from the field. Utah’s 16-2 run gave them control of the game, and Arizona State couldn’t recover.
With the win, Utah (16-13, 8-10 Big 12) will look to carry momentum into their final regular-season game against West Virginia on Tuesday as they aim to solidify their position for the postseason.
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