Utah 88, UC Riverside 42: Freshman Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 19 points off the bench to lead four Utes in double figures as Utah bounced back from a sluggish offensive outing by routing the visiting Highlanders.

Delon Wright scored 13 points, Jordan Loveridge had 12 and Brekkott Chapman added 11 off the bench for the Utes (2-1), who scored only 49 points and shot only 32 percent in a road loss to San Diego State on Tuesday. Utah enjoyed a 47-23 advantage on the boards and a 21-9 edge at the free-throw line Friday night.

Nick Gruninger had 14 points while reserves Robert Boezeman and Charles Standifer added seven apiece for UC Riverside (1-2), which lost its second straight game. Taylor Johns, who came into the contest averaging a team-high 18.5 points, scored only two on 1-of-11 shooting.

The Utes led 48-21 at the break and Loveridge’s 3-pointer capped an 8-2 Utah run to open the second half and squash any last hopes of a UC Riverside revival. The Utes’ largest lead was 88-40 following a Chapman free throw in the final minute.

It was tight early as Utah took a 9-7 edge into the first media timeout, but it was all Utes the rest of the half as they outscored UC Riverside 39-14 over the final 14:45. The Highlanders only connected on seven of their 24 field-goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes, including 0-for-6 from 3-point range.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Utah improved to 69-15 all-time against members of the Big West Conference in the first meeting between the programs. … UC Riverside shot only 29.1 percent (16-of-55), including a 1-of-13 showing from 3-point range. … The contest was the first of a five-game homestand for Utah.