SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- After allowing its last two opponents to shoot 55 percent from the field, No. Utah (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) was determined to get back to the defense that has given it the second-best winning percentage in the country over the last three years.

Against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Thursday night, the Utes tightened their pressure man-to-man defense and cruised to a 71-57 victory.

"We made it a point to come out and play better defense," said Alex Jensen, who scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half and helped shut down the Panthers offense.

Hanno Mottola scored 23 points as Utah won its eighth straight game and ran its home winning streak to 44, second in the nation to Murray State's 46 games.

"I am in a good rhythm now and I think as a team we will only get better," said Mottola, who had his third straight game with at least 23 points.

UW-Milwaukee (6-5) opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Jason Frederick to draw within 40-34, but the Utes (10-2) scored the next 14 points.

The Panthers had trouble executing their swing offense against the Utes' defensive pressure and remained scoreless for 5:30 during Utah's game breaking run.

"We made some defensive adjustments at halftime with switches and better rotation," Utah Coach Rick Majerus said.

Mottola made four shots during the spurt that gave Utah a 54-34 lead.

The undersized Panthers, who were an average of three inches shorter at every position, relied on outside jumpers but were just 8-of-28 from 3-point range.

"We knew they were a good 3-point shooting team so we wanted to get in their face and challenge every shot," Utah's Jeremy Killion said.

Ronnie Jones led UWM with 15 points and Chad Angeli added 11. The senior forward tandem of Mottola and Jensen took advantage of the size discrepancy to go 17-of-26 from the field.

Utah shot 61 percent and led by as many as 25 points before Mottola and Jensen went to the bench. UWM scored the last 11 points of the game.

The Panthers led 18-15 midway through the first half but the Utes went on a 9-2 run that spanned the next 3:28. Adam Sharp's fast-break layup gave Utah a 24-19 lead and the Utes led 40-31 at halftime.

The Panthers had eight field goals in the first half but were 12-of-17 from the foul line to keep within striking distance.

UW-Milwaukee played their second Top 25 team in four days as the Panthers lost 93-60 to No. 3 Cincinnati on Monday.

Utah finished the six-year series with UW-Milwaukee with a 6-0 mark. Majerus said he scheduled the games so his team could play in front of his hometown family and friends in Milwaukee.