Utah falls to Oklahoma State, 81-72, in tough road loss

Utes fell behind early and couldn't recover late in Stillwater

Oklahoma State Athletics

The Utah Utes struggled to find their rhythm early and never fully recovered in an 81-72 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Cowboys, eager to avenge their previous loss to Utah in Salt Lake City, took control from the opening minutes and maintained their lead throughout the contest.

Oklahoma State came out firing, jumping to a 19-7 lead within the first seven minutes, fueled by Bryce Thompson’s hot shooting. Utah managed to cut the deficit to two points at 21-19, but every time the Utes gained momentum, the Cowboys responded. Oklahoma State never trailed in the game, using a key 13-3 run early in the second half to extend their lead to 15 points. Utah struggled to mount a serious comeback, only managing to close the gap to seven points late in the game.

Thompson was the star of the night, leading all scorers with 20 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range and the free-throw line. He also added seven rebounds and two assists before fouling out. Marchelus Avery contributed 17 points for the Cowboys, while Arturo Dean and Pat Suemnick added nine each. Big man Abou Ousmane had eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

The Utes’ offense was led by Ezra Ausar, who scored 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting but struggled at the free-throw line, making only 6 of 12 attempts. Gabe Madsen added 15 points, knocking down four three-pointers on an inefficient 5-of-15 shooting night. Mike Sharavjamts had 11 points and Keanu Dawes also reached double figures with 10 points, but Utah’s offensive efforts were not enough to overcome their defensive lapses.

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Turnovers and free throws played a significant role in Utah’s first-half struggles. The Utes committed seven turnovers, leading to 11 Oklahoma State points, while the Cowboys capitalized on Utah’s fouls, making 14-of-16 free throws before halftime. Overall, Oklahoma State finished 27-of-36 from the line, while Utah went 21-of-30.

The loss drops Utah to 12-9 overall and 4-6 in Big 12 play. The Utes will look to bounce back at home on Wednesday against Colorado, who remains winless in conference play.