Utah scored the game’s first 10 points and never looked back in an 89-59 nonconference rout of visiting Florida A&M on Tuesday night in Salt Lake City.
Four players scored in double figures for the Utes (8-2); reserves Mason Madsen and Mike Sharavjamts combined to hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 15 points each. Ezra Ausar added 12 and Lawson Lovering scored 10.
Utah mostly played to its early-season form offensively, canning 54.8 percent of its field-goal attempts and drawing assists on 25 of 34 buckets. It was the sixth time this season the Utes, who entered the game leading Division I in assists (20.6), collected at least 20 helpers.
Utah also enjoyed a 27-5 advantage in points off turnovers, a 44-20 points in the paint advantage and connected on 11 of 29 3-pointers. It could have won by more but endured a rough night at the foul line, making only 10 of 24, including 6 of 16 in the first half.
Reserve Kaleb Washington scored 11 points for the Rattlers (3-6), who were coming off a 130-point performance on Dec. 6 that tied their school record for most points in a game. But they made just 36.5 percent of their shots from the field Tuesday and committed 18 turnovers, which Utah turned in to 27 points.
Neither team scored for the first 1:53 but the Utes wasted little time taking command. Gabe Madsen’s 3-pointer started the initial surge that Caleb Lohner capped with a layup at the 15:33 mark.
Florida A&M didn’t score until nearly five minutes passed as Shaqir O’Neal drained a 3-pointer. But the Utes’ lead reached double figures again with 12:58 remaining and stayed there for the game’s remainder as Utah ran its offense efficiently, logging 1.43 points per possession in the first half.
The advantage reached 20 for the first time via Mason Madsen’s 3-pointer with 9:56 left in the first half. The lead peaked at 22 on multiple occasions in the half before the Utes settled for a 50-31 cushion at the break.
Utah cruised through the second half, building a 35-point margin with 7:46 left.
–Field Level Media
