Runnin' Utes Send Off Seniors with 88-59 Routing of Golden Bears

Saturday, March 2

Salt Lake City, UT

7:00 PM

University of Utah

18-11,9-9Pac-12

California

13-17,9-10Pac-12

California

Utah

Photo by: Hunter Dyke/Utah Athletics

Runnin' Utes Send Off Seniors with 88-59 Routing of Golden Bears

3/2/2024 11:30 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Utah men’s basketball sent its seniors off on top with an 88-59 win over California Saturday night.

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah men's basketball team honored its senior the right way Saturday night inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center with an exciting 88-59 victory over California.

Utah closed the Pac-12 Era 10-3 in its final regular-season game at home with the win over Cal and 84-32 all-time when playing in its final home game of the regular-season.

The first half was tight between the Runnin' Utes (18-11, 9-9 Pac-12) and Golden Bears despite Utah leading the entire first 20 minutes of action. It wasn't until about near the under-8 media break before Utah started to extend its lead to double-digits.

However, Cal (13-17, 9-10 Pac-12) didn't back down and brought the Ute lead down back to single-digits five different times in the final 8:21 minutes of the half before Utah took the 42-32 lead into the locker room.

Branden Carlson and Deivon Smith guided the Utes combining for 28 of Utah's 42 first-half points. Carlson also had six boards while Smith also had 4 rebounds and 5 assists through the first 20 minutes of action.

The second half saw the Runnin' Utes clamp down on defense and hold Cal to just 27 points while putting on 46 points of their own behind a .586 (17-for-29) shooting clip. Carlson showed up and showed out for his senior night, scoring another 13 points in the final frame to finish with 30 points and 10 boards on 12-for-17 shooting with 4 blocks.

Smith didn't record another triple-double but finished with 18 points and 10 assists for his eighth double-double. Senior Gabe Madsen also chipped in with 17 points of his own to go with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Keba Keita was just shy of a double-double, posting 8 points with 10 rebounds.

BY THE NUMBERS
Saturday marked the fifth time Utah has had two players with a double-double in a game – the most since 1996-97 per Stats Pass … Branden Carlson's 30 points Saturday was his third of the season, making him the first Runnin' Ute since Keith Van Horn (5) in 1996-97 … Carlson also became the first Ute with 30 points and 10 rebounds since Jakob Poeltl vs. Temple on Nov. 22, 2015 … the 29 point win was the second largest margin of victory over Cal all-time and the largest margin of victory for Utah this season in a Pac-12 game … Carlson also passed Jeff Judkins (1,740; 1974-78) for seventh all-time in scoring at Utah now with 1,746 career points after posting 30 Saturday night.

UP NEXT
The Utes will close out the 2023-24 regular-season on the road next week as it travels to the PNW for a pair of games against the Oregon schools starting with the Beavers of Oregon State on Thursday, March 7, at 9 p.m. (MT) on ESPNU. Utah will then wrap up the regular-season with a 5 p.m. (MT) match-up against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, March 9, inside Mathew Knight Arena on Pac-12 Networks.

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.

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