Utah pulls away from Utah Tech in bounce-back win

Gabe Madsen scored 19 points to help Utah bounce back from its only loss of the season in an 84-53 home victory over visiting Utah Tech on Friday afternoon in Salt Lake City.

Keanu Dawes contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, Mason Madsen added 12 points and Mike Sharavjamts tallied 10 points, five assists and four rebounds in the win. Miro Little totaled 11 rebounds, eight assists and four points for Utah (4-1).

Hakim Byrd and Tennessee Rainwater each scored eight points to lead Utah Tech (1-4).

The Trailblazers held a brief lead in the first half, but ended up shooting just 30.3 percent from the field and missed eight of 14 free throws while playing the second game of an eight-game road trip.

Utah shot 48.5 percent overall with 24 assists on 32 made baskets. The Utes outrebounded their instate foe 50-36 and won the points-in-the-paint battle 44-24.

Utah established itself from the tip, jumping out to an 8-0 lead after four consecutive inside buckets by Gabe Madsen (two layups), Jake Wahlin and Sharavjamts.

The Trailblazers fired back to take an 11-10 lead a moment later after 3-pointers from Noa Gonsalves and Rainwater, three points from Samuel Ariyibi and a layup by Justin Bieker.

Utah responded with a 9-0 run, capped by a Gabe Madsen fastbreak layup.

Dawes helped the Utes take a 42-26 halftime lead by scoring nine straight points for his team during an 18-7 surge.

Gabe Madsen then hit a second-chance layup and a 3-pointer as Utah opened the second half with six straight points en route to the blowout.

Gabe Madsen hit three 3-pointers to rebound from a 1-for-10 outing beyond the arc in the Utes' loss at Mississippi State on Sunday. Overall, the Utes' season leading scorer made 8 of 17 field goals.

Mason Madsen and Hunter Erickson (eight points) each hit two 3s.

--Field Level Media