Utah Tech defeats Justice 89-48
Justice Takes a Beatdown in Utah Tech's Dominant Statement Win
In a stark reminder of the challenges ahead, Utah Tech (HOME) delivered a resounding 41-point thrashing over visiting team Justice (AWAY), 89-48, on Saturday night at Burns Arena.
The storylines that preceded this matchup were all about Utah Tech making a statement. The Thunderbirds had been reeling from a string of poor performances, and this game was an opportunity to right the ship. And right it did. By halftime, Justice trailed by a staggering 31 points, 47-16. It was all downhill from there for the visitors.
Utah Tech's Noah Bolanga led the way for the home team, pouring in 19 points on 5-of-10 three-point shooting (46.7% FG) and grabbing eight rebounds. His impact extended beyond the scoreboard as well, with 2 assists and 3 steals.
For Justice, Rayqwan King was the lone bright spot, scoring 14 points but going just 1-for-4 from behind the arc (40.0% FG). Jaden Walker chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds, but his performance was ultimately overshadowed by the Utah Tech onslaught.
The game statistics paint a stark picture of Utah Tech's dominance. The Thunderbirds shot 54% from the field, including a blistering 71% mark from two-point range. Justice, on the other hand, managed just 31%, with only 40% coming from two-point attempts.
Utah Tech's 3-point shooting was particularly effective, going 36% from downtown. In contrast, Justice's outside shooting was abysmal, hitting just 23%.
The game's most telling statistic, however, may have been the turnover margin. Utah Tech outdoubled Justice by 13, and turned those mistakes into 32 points off turnovers.
Utah Tech's victory serves as a testament to their resilience in the face of adversity. The Thunderbirds will look to build on this momentum as they head into the new year, while Justice will need to regroup and refocus if they are to have any hopes of making a deep postseason run.
In the end, it was Utah Tech that delivered the statement win it had been seeking all season. And for now, at least, there's no denying their dominance in this matchup.