The Runnin' Utes opened the season with a 100-59 win over Alcorn State

SALT LAKE CITY – Craig Smith and Runnin' Utes earn a 100-59 victory over Alcorn State in the season opener at Utah.

The Madsen twins combined for 42 points; Gabe had 27 and Mason finished with 15 points

Final from Huntsman Center‼️

See you all back here on November 7th! #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/UuYc8DQ0Pe

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 5, 2024

The Utes started a little slow on both ends of the field. Midway through the first frame, however, Utah began to find its rhythm offensively. After taking a 16-13 lead at the second media timeout, Utah finished the half with a 50-31 lead, with two mini-runs of 12-6 and 13-5 helping to extend the lead.

Coming out of the locker room at halftime, Utah started the second half much better. They opened with a quick 11-4 run within the first few minutes. Utah's offense shot well from distance – setting a new single-game record of 19 3-pointers on 38 attempts in the game. Here are some takeaways from the game.

The Madsen heat waves

Both Gabe and Mason showed tonight that they can get hot quickly. Gabe started the game 2 of 3 from deep. Shortly after Mason checked in, he also knocked down two straight shots from 3-point range.

They finished the first half a combined 7 of 12 from 3-point range (Gabe 4 of 8, Mason 3 of 4), Gabe went into the locker room with 19 points while Mason had 9.

These two were chasing their shots and that was good for the offense tonight. They have to be disciplined and not get too excited about three points, but they showed what they are capable of tonight.

Ezra Ausar at the free throw line

This will happen many times this season. The good news is that Ausar looks like a player who can commit a lot of fouls.

He had ten free throw attempts in the first half alone. Fouling problems for opponents can lead to other problems as the game progresses. Not to mention it's an easy source of points.

The bad news is that Ausar can get cold on the line. At one point he was 1 of 6 in the charity.

Luckily, he can also chain counters together. After starting the game 1 of 6, he made six straight free throws to go 7 of 12 after his first two free attempts of the second half.

Ausar finished the game with 13 points and 6 rebounds.

Miro Little, Mike Sharvjamt's playmaking

It will be a bit of an X-factor for these two to perform this season. However, it looks like you can rely on their ability every night.

Both come across as capable field generals who master the offense and have compassion for their teammates.

Little finished the night with 6 points and 7 assists midway through the second half and just seemed to always be looking for his teammates.

Sharavjamts almost matched him with 5 assists, he added 10 points of his own and showed a high level of flair and creativity.

The glue guys Keanu Dawes, Jake Wahlin

These two could see their production fluctuate throughout the season, but they appear to be the glue for Utah.

The guys who make hustle plays that aren't rewarded in the box score, the tip-outs on missed shots where rebounds are credited to others, the pass that leads to the assist, the defenders that help, and the guys that make a great one Play team defense.

Dawes finished the game with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal. Wahlin had 7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. The two even supported each other on three-point shots.

Revisiting an issue without Lawson Lovering

Utah was without Lawson Lovering tonight and defensive rebounding was an issue.

The Utes made consecutive stops and secured rebounds on consecutive possessions. However, they would also have a defensive series where ASU grabbed two or three offensive rebounds, and then again three or four series later. This happened three or four times in the first half, and Utah still went into the locker room with a 17-16 lead.

Utah did a better job of securing rebounds in the second half, but there were still a few too many offensive rebounds. They finished the game +6 on the boards and had a 36-30 lead, but allowed 14 offensive rebounds.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts the Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to beat the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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