Takeaways: Utah Basketball’s Roster Flexibility, Versatility Shined In 94-48 Win

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah got a big 94-48 win over Mississippi Valley, it was the first time Craig Smith had his entire roster available to him. It provided a better idea of what this team can be this season.

Gabe Madsen led the Utes with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 7-of-10 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Miro Little finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

RELATED: Gabe Madsen Leads Utah Basketball To 94-48 Win Over Mississippi Valley

Tonight's Final‼️

See you all Saturday back at the Huntsman! pic.twitter.com/lUSuB1XtjH

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 27, 2024

 

Obviously, Mississippi Valley isn’t the toughest competitive, but given the return of key pieces, this is still a valuable game for assessing this team. Here are some takeaways from the game.

Lawson Lovering, Zach Keller Make Their Debut For Utah Basketball

The two bigs made their debut for Utah, and it made a noticeable difference on the floor. Lovering was the starting center, allowing Ezra Ausar to move to the four, which made the starting unit feel so much bigger.

Lovering made obvious contributions offensively, but his impact was definitely felt defensively. His presence affected shots at the rim, and he did a good job of cleaning the boards. Lovering still isn’t 100% but he’s good enough to play and make a difference.

The 7-footer finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds, 4 of which were offensive. Having a true 7-footer score a few easy buckets inside provided an additional layer to the offense tonight. Though he didn’t record a block or steal, he earned a defensive rating of 73.4, tied for lowest on the team.

As for Keller, the impact wasn’t felt immediately. He looked a little nervous and struggled to settle in for most of the game. However, he definitely adds to the versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He’s a 6-foot-10 body but has really quick feet, which allows him to defend on the perimeter.

Natural Positions, Additional Versatility, Lineup Flexibility

With the two bigs, there was much more lineup flexibility and potential. Players like Ezra Ausar were in their natural positions and it allowed the versatility of some to really shine, Keanu Dawes in particular.

Dawes first entered the game for Lovering. He manned the five spot with Hunter Erickson, Mason Madsen, Gabe Madsen, and Jake Wahlin alongside him. A few minutes later, Keller and Ausar checked into the game, which moved Dawes to the three spot.

The additional lineup flexibility and matchup potential is significant, as Utah will see a variety of rosters and styles of play. Dawes, specifically, will be a useful matchup tool.

Ausar didn’t get a lot of opportunities in this one, but he did seem more comfortable and effective as the four. He could play off Lovering in the post and operate more freely on the floor.

Again, the lineup flexibility really stood out in this one. It will give Coach Smith many options for finding and exploiting matchup advantages as a unit or individually.

Utah Has More Options Offensively

With the return of Lovering and Keller, Utah had a full 10-man rotation. All 10 players scored at least one bucket, seven knocked down at least two shots, and five had at least three buckets.

G. Madsen was extremely efficient, even explosive, scoring 27 points on 13 shots. Meanwhile, brother Mason Madsen added 9 points on 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. Utah will always be a dangerous team when these two shoot like that.

Mike Sharavjamts didn’t have his most productive night, finishing with just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting. However, Miro Little stepped up significantly. Through six games, he looked the most aggressive and assertive with his own scoring in this one. He finished with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. His jump shot looked consistent, and he got into the paint a lot.

Utah earned a 125.9 offensive rating, the second-highest mark of the season. They converted 48.3% from the 3-point range, but the improvement from within the arc, specifically in the paint, led to that. The Utes finished 19-of-30 inside the 3-point line and 11-of-15 at the rim, both high marks of the season. Which, again, is a big credit to Lovering’s impact as he finished 5-of-7 inside the paint.

Having this sort of scoring optionality is big for Utah.

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

Take us with you, wherever you go.

Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.