SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah spent the better part of 40 minutes dominating California on both ends of the floor. The Utes generated explosive offense through efficient passing and imposed suffocating defense on the Bears.
It added up to a 77-43 victory over California on Saturday where the Utes dished out 24 assists on 28 baskets. They also limited the Bears to 16-of-53 (.302) shooting from the field.
Those two outcomes were connected by a common thread -- a renewed commitment by Utah to team defense this week after a road loss to Colorado a week ago.