SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Anthony Roy scored 26 points and Oklahoma State used a dominant second-half defensive performance to pull away from Utah for an 81-69 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

A crowd of 7,293 saw the Cowboys improve to 15-6 overall, while the Utes fell to 9-12.

The game turned decisively in the final 20 minutes. After a tightly contested first half that saw Oklahoma State take a narrow 40-39 lead into the break, the Cowboys clamped down defensively. Utah, which shot 48.7 percent from the field in the opening period, was held to just 30 second-half points on 10-of-31 shooting, including a frigid 1 for 9 from three-point range.

The most important stretch of the game began early in the second half. With Oklahoma State leading 43-42, the Cowboys embarked on a 14-2 run over a five-minute span to seize control. The surge was fueled by defense and the inside-outside combination of Roy and Christian Coleman. Roy, a 6-foot-5 guard from Oakland, California, knocked down a three-pointer to ignite the run, and Coleman, a 6-foot-8 forward, contributed six points during the stretch, including a jump shot and an alley-oop finish. Utah went scoreless for over three minutes and missed five consecutive field goal attempts as the Cowboys built a 57-44 advantage.

Utah never recovered. The Utes trimmed the deficit to nine points on several occasions but could not mount a sustained challenge. Oklahoma State’s defense consistently disrupted Utah’s rhythm, forcing eight second-half turnovers and limiting clean looks. The Utes finished the game shooting just 40.7 percent overall and 25 percent from beyond the arc.

Roy’s 26-point effort led all scorers and was supplemented by efficient performances from his frontcourt teammates. Coleman finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Parsa Fallah, a 6-foot-10 center from Iran, added 13 points and seven rebounds. Vyctorius Miller chipped in 10 points for the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State’s offense succeeded through volume and interior dominance. The Cowboys attempted seven more field goals than Utah and outscored the Utes 42-32 in the paint. Despite recording only four assists as a team, they shot 48.5 percent from the field and a solid 42.1 percent from three-point range.

Utah was led by Terrence Brown’s 20 points and four assists. Don McHenry added 17 points, and Keanu Dawes scored 12. The Utes struggled from the free-throw line, making only 16 of 24 attempts, a critical shortcoming in a game decided by defensive stops.

The victory provided a positive road result for Oklahoma State following a loss to Iowa State in its previous outing. The Cowboys demonstrated an ability to win with defense, holding an opponent under 70 points for the ninth time this season. Their offensive rating of 115.4 points per 100 possessions far outpaced Utah’s mark of 96.6, underlining the efficiency gap that emerged after halftime.

Utah, which has lost four of its last five games, continued to search for consistency. The Utes’ six blocked shots, led by James Okonkwo’s three, were a bright spot but were offset by offensive struggles, particularly in the half-court against a set Oklahoma State defense.

Oklahoma State next hosts BYU on Wednesday. Utah is scheduled to face Arizona State at home on the same night.