The Runnin’ Utes defeated the Arizona Wildcats 73-58 on Thursday night with an impressive effort on both ends of the court. Utah had the Wildcats off their game from start to finish, as Arizona was out rebounded for the first time all season.

Here are the takeaways from the game:

Balanced and more consistent offense is key

Five Utes scored in double figures, led once again by Timmy Allen. The steady junior had 18 points and nine rebounds in 37 minutes. Branden Carlson had 10 and Pelle Larsson added 14 from the starters, while Riley Battin and Alfonso Plummer chipped in 10 and 12 respectively off the bench.

Seven players logged over 20 minutes against Arizona and provided an even, multi-faceted attack. When the Utes have multiple options, they can be difficult to defend. Ever since the Washington State game, Battin seems to have found another gear, averaging 11.5 points per game. Larsson had been much more inconsistent with his offense, but if he can maintain his 11 point average from the last two games, while directing the offense, the Utes are suddenly much more dangerous.

Utah shot an impressive 50% from the field as a team, with only Plummer shooting under 50% on 5 of 13 from the field and Ian Martinez didn’t attempt a shot. The Utes were also 53% from behind the arc on 8 of 15.

Strong shooting beats poor shooting

While the Utes were hot on offense, they were just as good on defense. The Wildcats were only 37% on 20 of 54 shooting and a paltry 22% from three-point range, going 2 of 9. From nearly start to finish, the Utes made life difficult for Arizona. Arizona’s leading scorer on the season, James Akinjo, was held to 1 of 8 shooting, before sinking a three-pointer with only seconds remaining in the contest.

In recent wins, the Utes have really begun to get in sync defensively. If they can maintain this execution, those second half letdowns—that had become excruciating for fans to watch—will become a welcomed thing of the past.

This is what you call a quality winning streak

With back-to-back wins against Colorado and Arizona—both of which only had four losses going into their games against the Utes—the Utes suddenly have some momentum and they’re staring at a winning streak. Although their game against Arizona State has been canceled for the second time, this week.

Up next

The Runnin’ Utes will be off for a week, after the cancellation of the game against the Sun Devils that was supposed to be played on Sunday. They’ll get back at it next Thursday at home agains Cal, as they look for redemption after their earlier loss.