SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Utes achieved a convincing 83-62 victory against Oklahoma State on Saturday night, marking their first win in the Big 12 Conference this season. Ezra Ausar led the Utes with a season-high of 21 points, while teammates Keanu Dawes and Jake Wahlin contributed with personal bests of 16 points each. This win also ended a four-game losing streak for Utah (9-6, 1-3), their inaugural season after transitioning from the Pac-12 Conference.

Ausar demonstrated exceptional shooting skills, successfully converting 7 of 12 attempts from the floor and going 7 for 8 at the free-throw line. Wahlin was perfect on the night, hitting all five of his shots, including three 3-pointers, and making all three of his free-throw attempts. Dawes had an impressive outing off the bench, hitting 8 of 10 shots and securing a game-high nine rebounds.

For the Cowboys (9-6, 1-3), Bryce Thompson was the standout performer, scoring 16 points with a shooting percentage of 53.8% (7 for 13). His teammates, Marchelus Avery and Brandon Newman, contributed with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Utah started the game strong, embarking on a 12-0 run with Ausar playing a crucial role, scoring six points. The Utes quickly established a commanding lead, with back-to-back baskets from Ausar and a three-pointer from Mike Sharavjamts resulting in a 21-6 advantage with 12:49 left before halftime. Although Avery’s nine-point contribution helped Oklahoma State narrow the gap to 37-26 at halftime, Utah maintained control of the game.

The second half saw Utah continue to assert their dominance, beginning with a 6-0 run led by Ausar. They kept their lead in double figures for the entirety of the half. With just eight minutes remaining, Ausar’s layup extended Utah’s lead to a significant 74-48, representing their largest margin of the game.

In terms of overall performance, Utah excelled in scoring within the paint, outscoring Oklahoma State 46-24. The Utes shot an impressive 56% from the field, while the Cowboys struggled, finishing at 33% and missing 10 out of 22 free-throw attempts.

Looking ahead, Oklahoma State is set to face BYU on Tuesday, while Utah will travel to take on TCU on Wednesday.