Oklahoma State finds winning formula against slumping Utah

Field Level Media|published: Sat 1st February, 17:57 2025

NCAA Basketball: Kansas State at Oklahoma State

Jan 7, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Thompson (1) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

Bryce Thompson scored 20 points to lead Oklahoma State to an 81-72 victory over Utah on Saturday in Stillwater, Okla.

Thompson made 6 of 10 shots, going 4-for-4 from 3-point range, and made a couple of big scores in the final minutes to help the Cowboys (11-10, 3-7 Big 12) snap a three-game losing streak. He also grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out.

Marchelus Avery scored 17 points, Arturo Dean added nine points, seven assists and three steals, and Abou Ousmane had eight points and a game-high eight rebounds as OSU won for only the second time in seven outings.

Ezra Ausar had 18 points and Gabe Madsen scored 15 with four 3-pointers for the Utes (12-9, 4-6), who lost for the third time in four outings.

Mike Sharavjamts added 11 points, five rebounds and five assists for Utah, which beat Oklahoma State 83-62 at home on Jan. 11.

Oklahoma State led the entire way, going up by as many as 15 and never allowing Utah to get any closer than seven down the stretch while improving to 8-2 at home.

The Cowboys outshot the Utes from the field 48.9 percent to 40 percent and outrebounded the visitors 33-30 to get back in the win column.

Ousmane hit a jumper in a game-opening 6-0 run. OSU then took a 12-point lead seven minutes in after Thompson hit his third 3-pointer.

Utah responded with an 8-0 spurt after back-to-back 3s from Jake Wahlin and Madsen plus an Ausar layup.

Caleb Lohner helped the Utes pull within two with four straight points, but the Cowboys followed with five straight free throws en route to a 41-33 halftime lead.

Ausar cut the deficit to five early in the second half, but OSU seized control with an 11-2 surge to go up 54-40.

Dean made a big jumper with just under five minutes remaining to reestablish a double-digit lead for OSU after the Utes cut their deficit to eight with a 10-3 run. Thompson hit a key 3 and made a layup in the final minutes before picking up his fifth foul, and the Cowboys fended off Utah's comeback bid.

--Field Level Media