Timmy Allen scored 20 points to lead Utah to a 77-73 victory over UC Davis on Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Rylan Jones chipped in 18 points, Riley Battin added 15 points, and Both Gach produced 11 points and six assists for the Utes, who shot 57.8 percent from the field. They finished with 17 assists on 26 baskets and posting a 29-24 rebounding edge.

Utah (5-2) improved to 3-0 at home this season.

Joe Mooney scored 19 points, Elijah Pepper had 14 points, and Ezra Manjon contributed 11 points and seven assists for UC Davis (2-7). The Aggies trailed wire to wire despite forcing 13 turnovers.

UC Davis shot 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9 of 17) but made just 48.1 percent of its field-goal attempts overall.

Utah made six consecutive baskets to open the first half -- highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from both Battin and Gach. The hot shooting helped the Utes build a quick 21-9 lead.

UC Davis scored three straight baskets to cut the deficit in half. The Aggies closed within 23-17 when Pepper buried his second 3-pointer of the half. Allen answered with back-to-back baskets to push Utah's lead back to double digits.

The Utes led by as many as 15 points before halftime, going up 40-25 a pair of free throws from Jones, and the margin was 13 at halftime.

Mooney gave UC Davis a spark early in the second half to get the Aggies back in the game. He hit back-to-back baskets and made three free throws to cap a 13-5 run that cut Utah's lead to 48-43.

UC Davis continued to hang around, slicing the deficit to 66-62 on free throws from Damion Squaire and Manjon. Allen answered with a step-back jumper and a pair of free throws to push Utah's lead to 70-62 with 1:40 remaining.

--Field Level Media