SALT LAKE CITY—In their first-ever meeting at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, Utah pulls off the 74-67 upset over the No. 17 Jayhawks!

It was perhaps the best 40-minute performance by Utah this season. The effort level was pretty consistent and though there were significant scoring droughts, the Utes battled all game long.

Gabe Madsen led the Utes with 24 points on 7-of-18 shooting, as well as 5-of-5 from the line. Ezra Ausar added 12, and Jake Wahlin finished with 10 as the only other players in double-figures.

However, it was Utah’s defense that really made the difference in this one. for Kansas, as they ended the game 22-of-54 from the field. Hunter Dickinson was an inefficient 4-of-12 from the field for 12 points.

Starters for Utah against Kansas

Craig Smith stuck with the same starting five, which were as follows:

Mike Sharavjamts, Gabe Madsen, Jake Wahlin, Ezra Ausar, and Lawson Lovering.

First Half, Runnin’ Utes Vs. Jayhawks

The opening minutes were some of the strong minutes out of Utah this season. It started with a high-low action that started with a Lawson Lovering dish to Ezra Ausar for layup. Gabe Madsen knocked down a 3-pointer on the next possession. Two possessions later, Jake Wahlin knocked down a 3-pointer. Utah then got a defensive stop that led to a transition opportunity where Mike Sharavjamts threw a lob to Ausar, who properly threw it down with authority.

Utah jumped out to a 10-3 lead, which forced Bill Self to take an early timeout. After the break, Kansas then scored a but Gabe Madsen responded with his second 3-pointer of the game to give Utah a 13-5 lead at the first media timeout.

15:44 – After the break, Kansas got going a little bit. AJ Storr knocked down a 3-pointer, Flory Bidunga added a pair of free throws, and Hunter Dickinson added a dunk. It was 16-12 in Utah’s favor, then Jake Wahlin knocked down a much-needed 3-pointer to give Utah a 19-12 advantage at the second media timeout.

11:32 – Miro Little knocked down a 3-pointer, his first shot attempt of the game. On the next possession, Keanu Dawes hustled for two offensive rebounds before getting fouled on a putback attempt. He went to the line and converted both attempts. On the next possession, Dawes found Caleb Lohner underneath for an easy one. Lastly, Madsen knocked down a 3-pointer after missing one, and Lohner collected the miss. That gave the Utes a 29-19 edge at the third media break of the game.

8:25 – Kansas just continued to play their game and chip away at Utah’s lead. Utah added another Madsen 3-pointer but then went scoreless for over three minutes. That allowed the Jayhawks to trim Utah’s lead to 32-30 at the final media timeout.

Utah lost the aggressiveness they were playing with for the first 12 minutes of the game. As Kansas cut into the lead, the offensive execution became more and more unsettled. Utah scrambled for scoring opportunities instead of executing the offense like they had been.

3:46 – Unfortunately, the Utes were scoreless for five when Kansas tied it up, 32-32. Fortunately, the final two minutes, Utah found some offense with Ausar and Little combining for seven points to take a 39-37 lead into the locker room.

Second Half – Utah 39, Kansas 37

After Kansas scored five early points, Utah would go on a bit of a run. The Utes clamped down on the defensive end, which sparked some opportunities on the other end. Madsen and Sharvajamts each notched a steal that led to direct points in transition. Utah would go on a 10-3 run to rebuild a 52-45 edge by the first media timeout.

15:10 – Utah would continue to build their lead, as they got it to 58-49. Hunter Erickson knocked down a 3-pointer, Ausar went 1-of-2 from the line, and Lohner added a big layup through contact. As the two teams were exiting the floor for the second media timeout, Bill Self was whistled for a technical. Madsen converted the free throws after the break to give Utah a 60-49 lead.

11:37 – Utah would unfortunately go cold from the field for the next four minutes. A couple of misses and then a pair of turnovers allowed Kansas to claw their way back. By the next media break, the Jayhawks had it down to 60-54.

7:07 – After the timeout, Kansas’ David Coit knocked down a 3-pointer to cut it to 60-57. Then, a couple of possessions later, Bidunga got a layup to go to trim the lead down to one. Utah just continued to settle for bad shots, and their scoring drought extended to over six minutes.

Finally, after seven scoreless minutes, Ausar finally got a jump hook to roll over the rim and fall. That gave Utah a 62-60 lead at the 4:20 mark of the game and after a defensive stop and Kansas defensive foul, the Utes held onto that lead into the final media break.

3:31 – After the break, the Utes played with tremendous effort. They hustled for offensive rebounds, which led to a pair of free throws for Wahlin, which he converted to give Utah a 64-60 edge. Lovering was fouled and went to the line for two, but missed both.

Then, Utah forced a Kansas turnover, as Wahlin intercepted an entry pass to Dickinson. Utah brought it the other way and eventually, Madsen found himself open for a 3-pointer, which he converted to give Utah a 67-60 lead, and also become the school’s all-time leader in 3-point makes.

After free throws from Sharavjamts, Madsen, and Erickson, the Utes hold onto their upset bid and knock off the Jayhawks 74-67!

UP NEXT – Kansas State Vs. Utah

It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Runnin’ Utes this weekend as they’ll get just one day to prepare for Kansas State, who will come into the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Monday, Feb. 17, for a 7 p.m. (MST) tip-off on ESPN2. Roxy Bernstein will be joined alongside Sean Farnham as to call the action as Utah and Kansas State square off for the first time since Nov. 25, 1983 – a 63-53 affair in favor of the Utes in Rosemont, Ill., at the Tribune Classic.

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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