SALT LAKE CITY — In an impressive display, Gabe Madsen led the Utah Utes to a 74-67 victory over the No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night, scoring 24 points. Madsen’s performance was particularly notable as he became the all-time leader in made 3-pointers for Utah, hitting his fifth and final three-pointer with just 1:58 remaining in the game, which brought his total to 288 career 3s. He further solidified the win by sinking two free throws with 26 seconds left on the clock.

Throughout the game, Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12) maintained the lead and only allowed Kansas to tie the game at 60 before securing their victory. Zeke Mayo, despite leaving the game briefly due to a lower leg injury, was the top scorer for Kansas (17-8, 8-6) with 15 points. Dajuan Harris Jr. contributed 14 points, while Hunter Dickinson added 12. For Utah, Ezra Ausar scored 12, while Jake Wahlin recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, playing a significant role in helping the Utes claim their first Quad 1 victory in ten attempts.

The match saw a pivotal moment when Kansas coach Bill Self was assessed a technical foul with 11:37 on the clock. Madsen capitalized on the ensuing free throws, extending Utah’s lead to 60-49. Following that, Kansas responded with a surge, scoring 11 straight points to remain competitive.

In terms of takeaways, Kansas struggled throughout the night, committing 12 turnovers that allowed Utah to capitalize and score 22 points off those mistakes. This loss adds to Kansas’s recent challenges, having dropped three of their last five games. On the other hand, Utah faced its share of struggles as well, including a second-half scoring drought that lasted 7 minutes and 17 seconds, along with Lawson Lovering’s dismal performance from the free-throw line (hitting only 1 of 9 attempts). However, the Utes ultimately overcame these challenges to triumph over a ranked opponent.

A significant moment in the game occurred when Madsen executed a perfectly timed stepback jumper after a head fake, marking an important 7-0 run that helped him surpass Nick Jacobson in the school’s all-time 3-pointer rankings.

In terms of statistics, Utah dominated the boards with 16 offensive rebounds and finished with a 46-36 overall advantage in rebounding.

Looking ahead, Utah is set to host Kansas State on Monday night, while Kansas will travel to face BYU on Tuesday night.