CEDAR CITY, Utah (Interstat) — In a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game defined by a decisive surge after halftime, the Southern Utah Thunderbirds defeated the Utah Tech Trailblazers 81-67 on Saturday night at Centrum Arena.

A crowd of 2,231 saw the Thunderbirds, who entered the game with a 9-19 record, execute with superior efficiency to snap a two-game skid and improve to 10-19 overall. The Trailblazers, who had won three of their last four, fell to 18-13.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the opening minutes of the second half. Southern Utah, which led 42-38 at halftime, emerged from the locker room with a 13-4 run that effectively decided the contest. The Thunderbirds scored on five of their first six possessions after the break, with the burst capped by a 3-pointer from Tanner Hayhurst that forced a Utah Tech timeout with 17:37 remaining and the Thunderbirds ahead 50-42.

Southern Utah never allowed Utah Tech to mount a serious challenge from that point forward. The Thunderbirds maintained a double-digit lead for nearly the entire final 15 minutes, their advantage swelling to as many as 17 points.

The victory was anchored by Southern Utah’s commanding performance on the offensive glass and its ability to capitalize on possessions. The Thunderbirds grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, leading to 18 second-chance points, and committed only eight turnovers. They scored 81 points on 66 possessions, an offensive rating of 122.9 that dwarfed Utah Tech’s mark of 100.4. The Trailblazers managed just four offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 11 times.

Tanner Hayhurst, a 6-foot-6 guard from Eagle, Idaho, led all scorers with 25 points for Southern Utah. He shot 7 for 12 from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, and added seven rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes. His back-to-back steals and subsequent layup midway through the second half helped extinguish any lingering hope of a Utah Tech rally.

He was complemented by a dominant interior performance from Jaiden Feroah of Draper, Utah. The 6-foot-9 forward posted 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a block. Guard Elijah Duval of Wilmington, Delaware, provided 15 points and four assists off the bench, while 7-foot center Kai Burdick of Carlsbad, California, added 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

Utah Tech was led by the scoring of guard Jusaun Holt of Tacoma, Washington, who finished with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Chance Trujillo of Kaysville, Utah, contributed 19 points, but the rest of the Trailblazers’ lineup combined for just 20 points. Forward Ethan Potter of Layton, Utah, had nine points and three assists.

Southern Utah shot 47.5% from the field (29 of 61) and made 16 of 23 free throws. Utah Tech shot a respectable 44.4% (24 of 54) and was efficient from deep, hitting 9 of 18 3-point attempts, but was ultimately undone by Southern Utah’s volume of opportunities. The Thunderbirds attempted seven more field goals and 11 more free throws than the Trailblazers.

The win gave Southern Utah a measure of revenge after dropping both regular-season meetings to Utah Tech earlier in the conference schedule, including a 102-91 shootout in St. George on Jan. 24.

Southern Utah is scheduled to host Utah Valley on Thursday. Utah Tech will conclude its regular season at home against Utah Valley on March 7.