SALT LAKE CITY — In a thrilling close matchup, Utah edged out Cincinnati with a score of 69-66 on Tuesday night, thanks in part to a remarkable performance from Gabe Madsen. Madsen, who finished with 18 points, came through in the final two minutes, scoring seven crucial points. Keanu Dawes contributed significantly as well, pulling down nine rebounds and adding 12 points to the scoreboard. Ezra Ausar added 11 points for the Runnin’ Utes.
The Runnin’ Utes (12-8, 4-5 Big 12) showcased impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 53% of their attempts (26 of 49) from the field. Conversely, the Bearcats struggled, managing only 39% (22 of 56). However, the victory was not without its challenges, as Utah committed 19 turnovers, allowing Cincinnati to convert these mistakes into 21 points.
Cincinnati rallied late in the game, with Aziz Bandaogo executing a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk, followed by Josh Reed’s two free throws, which sparked an 8-0 run and leveled the score at 62 with just 3:12 left on the clock. As both teams exchanged turnovers, Madsen responded with a pull-up jumper and then extended Utah’s lead to 66-62 by sinking two free throws with 1:30 remaining. With Madsen adding three more successful free throws, the Bearcats had a final chance to tie the game, but Simas Lukosius’s 3-point attempt missed its mark in the closing seconds.
Jizzle James led Cincinnati with 18 points, while Lukosius added 10 points to their effort in the loss. The match was competitive, featuring seven lead changes and three ties throughout. Utah head into halftime with a slight 40-34 advantage, thanks to back-to-back buckets from Jake Wahlin and a jumper from Mike Sharavjamts.
Cincinnati began the second half strongly, launching a 14-0 run powered by 3-pointers from Lukosius, Tyler Betsey, and Reed, which gave them a six-point lead nearly nine minutes into the half. However, the Utes quickly responded, scoring 18 of the next 22 points, seven of which came from Dawes, pushing the lead to 62-54 with 4:59 left to play.
Looking ahead, Cincinnati will be home on Sunday to face West Virginia, while Utah prepares to hit the road for a Saturday showdown against Oklahoma State.
