Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — For a full 10 minutes, the Runnin' Utes couldn't make a shot from the field.
And yet at halftime, Utah only trailed Baylor 38-31 and went into the locker room with a little momentum on its side despite a rough stretch of basketball that allowed the visiting Bears to go on a 22-3 run to take a 16-point lead.
Key to Baylor's extended run was projected NBA lottery pick V.J. Edgecombe, who tallied a team-high 14 points in the first half, including going a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
Despite the end to the first half, Utah couldn't get much closer than a 6-point deficit in the second half, and Baylor pulled away for a 76-61 win at the Huntsman Center.
"I thought they made a lot of winning plays when they really needed to make winning plays — answered the bell; that's what championship-pedigree teams do, guys that have been there, done that," Utah head coach Craig Smith said. "In our winning streak, we made those kind of plays, but we didn't make enough of them tonight.
"At the end of the day, we've got to make teams pay. We had a lot of open looks — a lot of them. We've got to be able to shoot the three better; I mean, 5-for-23."
Outside of Ezra Ausar, who totaled a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds, Utah (11-8, 3-5 Big 12) had few answers in the second half to contend with Baylor. The Runnin' Utes only scored 30 second-half points, and 13 of those were Ausar's.
Miro Little contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists off the bench against his former team as the only other Utah player in double figures.
Norchad Omier led the Bears with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Edgecome added 19 points and six rebounds as two of three players in double figures. Baylor had a small rotation, with Bears head coach Scott Drew electing to only play seven players Saturday.
But the team shot 44% from the floor and had eight made 3-pointers to keep Utah away. Utah finished the night shooting 40% from the field and 60% from the free-throw line.
Locomotive coming THROUGH‼️
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 25, 2025
An emphatic @ezraausar 🔨#GoUtespic.twitter.com/69iujrEuaX
Utah opened up the game playing aggressively, particularly in the post, as Ausar bullied defenders en route to a quick 6 points for the forward — including a driving power dunk to help Utah to an early 11-2 lead.
But for as hot as Utah was to start the game, it all came to a crashing halt, and Baylor (13-6, 5-3 Big 12) used that 22-3 run to pull away.
"I thought we got a lot more aggressive, offensively," Drew said, speaking of the change after the opening minutes of the game. "Defensively, we started playing more physical. But for the first four minutes, I think, they were the aggressor, and that changed."
"I think we didn't continuously apply pressure in transition in the beginning of the half that gave us the run and the head start," Ausar said of the change. "And, obviously, defensive stops. I think that was, that was just a big key, and offensive rebounding."
Little worked from the free-throw line against Baylor, going a perfect 6-of-6, to keep the Utes somewhat in contention during the drought. Eventually, Little drained a 3-pointer that opened up the scoring for Utah.
Caleb Lohner got a bucket against his former team, and Mason Madsen hit back-to-back 3-pointers before the halftime break to make it a 7-point game.
"They played seven guys, like, I don't believe that it's hard every night," Ausar said, speaking to the team needing to be better each night. "I believe it's a challenge, and we've got to accept the challenge and overcome them challenges. I don't think nothing's hard."

Photos

Show All 21 Photos


