Offense Can't Get Going for Runnin' Utes in Big 12 Opener Loss

Tuesday, December 31

Waco, TX / Foster Pavilion

12:00 PM

University of Utah

8-4,0-1Big 12

Baylor

9-3,1-0Big 12

Utah

Baylor

Offense Can't Get Going for Runnin' Utes in Big 12 Opener Loss

12/31/2024 2:51 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights Postgame Presser

Utah men’s basketball fell to #25/21 Baylor in its Big 12 Conference opener 81-56 in Waco.

WACO, Texas – The Utah men's basketball team couldn't get its offense going all game as it fell to #25/21 Baylor on the road inside Foster Pavilion 81-56.

Despite getting good looks early on, the Runnin' Utes weren't able to find the bottom of the net and started 0-for-6 in their Big 12 opener – which forced head coach Craig Smith to call a timeout at the 14:44 mark down 11-0.

Utah (8-4, 0-1 Big 12) finally broke the seal out of the timeout when a pair of former Bears in Miro Little and Caleb Lohner connected for a lay-in with 14:33 on the clock. That would start a 9-2 run for Utah before Mason Madsen's 3-pointer from the near corner made it a one-possession game (15-12) heading into the 7:56 media break.

However, the shooting woes returned for Utah as it went 2-for-14 from the floor from that point on to trail 37-17 at the half.

Utah's offense was much better in the final 20 minutes of action, shooting .424 from the floor with six 3-pointers and was just outscored by Baylor (9-3, 1-0 Big 12) 44-39. However, a 20-point hole in the first stanza was too much to overcome for the Utes.

Hunter Erickson finished the night with a team-high 13 points off the bench behind 3-of-4 shooting from deep with Madsen chipping in with 10 points of his own.

POSTGAME NOTES

Utah moves to 3-1 against Baylor all-time and 0-1 in Waco
Utah is now 70-164 (.299) all-time against AP ranked opponents and 11-66 (.143) against AP ranked teams on the road
Utah is now 3-4 all-time in its first game as members of a new conference with the win
The Utes move to 8-6 all-time in its league-opener since becoming a Power Conference member
Baylor forced 10 Utah turnovers in the second-half that led to an 18-4 edge in points off turnovers that half
Lohner finished with 4 points and 7 rebounds while Little was held scoreless with 2 rebounds and 3 assists in their return to Foster Pavilion

UP NEXT
Utah now returns home where it'll host its Big 12 home-opener against #RV/RV Texas Tech this Saturday, Jan. 4, inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Pete Sousa will have the call alongside former Oklahoma State guard Bryndon Manzer on ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. (MST).

For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, X and Instagram. Fans can also stay connected on their mobile devices or tablets with the Utah 360, the official app of Utah Athletics, through the Apple Store or Google Play.

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