The semi-aquatic rodents come to the Huntsman: Utah vs. Oregon State 2014

[LA Ute]

The beaver (genus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus) Castor) is a primarily nocturnal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnal_animal), large, semi-aquatic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-aquatic) rodent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodent)....

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Some background on their season so far from CBS Sports site:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/teams/page/OREGST/oregon-state-beavers

[UTEopia]

My wife and I had to laugh on the way home from the game last night when LK said that they had to get on the beavers.

[LA Ute]

My wife and I had to laugh on the way home from the game last night when LK said that they had to get on the beavers.

:) They are rodents.

[#1 Utefan]

The Beavs have some talent but they are poorly coached. Their coach probably should have been fired last year. This is his sixth year and he has a losing record with no NCAA or NIT appearances. My guess is the only reason he is still around is because he is Obama's brother in law.

Utah should win this one but another shooting performance like Thursday night and this ame may go to the wire as well. If Utah is going to have a shot at a .500 conference season or NCAA tourney, this game is a must win.

[U-Ute]

Listening to K on the radio yesterday, he said that Oregon State is the anti-Oregon. They are an inside power, half court team with a bevy of big guys.

It will be interesting to see how Bachynski responds after what happened at the end of the Oregon game. We will need him to produce like he has been in order to win. If he goes back into a funk, we could have problems, which may snowball for the rest of the season if he doesn't keep his head on straight.

[Rocker Ute]

Listening to K on the radio yesterday, he said that Oregon State is the anti-Oregon. They are an inside power, half court team with a bevy of big guys.

It will be interesting to see how Bachynski responds after what happened at the end of the Oregon game. We will need him to produce like he has been in order to win. If he goes back into a funk, we could have problems, which may snowball for the rest of the season if he doesn't keep his head on straight.

From the interviews I've read/seen it didn't appear that he was taking it personally or even reciting what he needed to about moving on, etc. I'm hoping these guys come out ticked off and wanting to make a statement after what happened. If that happens we'll know a bit about the mentality of this team, and something tells me that is exactly what is going to happen.

[U-Ute]

From the interviews I've read/seen it didn't appear that he was taking it personally or even reciting what he needed to about moving on, etc. I'm hoping these guys come out ticked off and wanting to make a statement after what happened. If that happens we'll know a bit about the mentality of this team, and something tells me that is exactly what is going to happen.

I have the same sense. This team seems different than the teams of the last few years. I don't know what to call it. The killer instinct. An edge about them. Whatever it is, this team seems to have it.

[SeattleUte]

This would be a great team to have in a conference like the WCC or even the MWC. Our three best players would be all-conference and the Utes would win 14 games and get an obscene ranking and seeding. But I guess that if we weren't in the Pac 12 we'd never have recruited Wright or Loveridge. Today Taylor had 23 points and 8 assts.

[LA Ute]

We were listening to the game en route to L.A. from Salt Lake. Alas, a flat tire has stopped us 25 miles out of Las Vegas. But Coastal Ute and I (along with daughter who does not waste her time on message boards but who plans to be a Ute) hung in and listened to the end of the game while we wait for AAA.

It's nice to have a PAC-12 win this early. (We should be 2-0, but oh well.) Last year we lost our first 5 games before we got a win.

We listened to Brandon's post-game interview. He said "you know" 26 times. (He's a great kid and one of our favorites on this team, but we are bored here on sunny I-15 so we are reduced to whatever coping mechanism we can manage.)

[LA Ute]

SU, if you don't show up at Wednesday's game at Washington, you're going to disappoint a lot of Ute fans.

[SeattleUte]

SU, if you don't show up at Wednesday's game at Washington, you're going to disappoint a lot of Ute fans.

I'll be there just as I was last year.

[Scratch]

Taylor and Wright combined for 14 assists and one turnover. You won't lose many games when your starting guard line has that kind of efficiency.

[SeattleUte]

Taylor and Wright combined for 14 assists and one turnover. You won't lose many games when your starting guard line has that kind of efficiency.

I love our guard line.

[concerned]

has anybody heard whdy Olsen started and played so much, and why Onwas hasnt played at all? I heard Onwas had hamstring issues, but not sure if there is any truth to it.

[Scratch]

I think Olsen played OSU's post defense is soft and because they don't score a lot in the post, either, so we could take advantage of Olsen's offensive abilities without suffering too much on the defensive end (although there were a few times where OSU guards drove and shot over Olsen where Bach probably would have made a difference).

[U-Ute]

We listened to Brandon's post-game interview. He said "you know" 26 times. (He's a great kid and one of our favorites on this team, but we are bored here on sunny I-15 so we are reduced to whatever coping mechanism we can manage.)

I remember Andre Miller driving me crazy with the same phrase. I hear it all of the time from college kids now when they're interviewed. I think it is a byproduct of PR training trying to remove the ubiquitous "ummmm" to fill aural voids. It was simply replaced by "you know".

My personal theory based on absolutely no information whatsoever. Like many of my other thoughts.

[U-Ute]

has anybody heard whdy Olsen started and played so much, and why Onwas hasnt played at all? I heard Onwas had hamstring issues, but not sure if there is any truth to it.

I haven't heard anything about Onwas.

K was specifically asked about Olsen in the post game, and he said that he felt like Olsen was just lacking some confidence, and so they decided to see if they could instill it by starting him.

[Diehard Ute]

Tony Jones tweeted that Onwas has fallen out of the rotation and hasn't earned his way back yet.

[Mormon Red Death]

Tony Jones tweeted that Onwas has fallen out of the rotation and hasn't earned his way back yet.

Galen??

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[Diehard Ute]

Galen??

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Fallen....even says so in your quote :)

[Rocker Ute]

I remember Andre Miller driving me crazy with the same phrase. I hear it all of the time from college kids now when they're interviewed. I think it is a byproduct of PR training trying to remove the ubiquitous "ummmm" to fill aural voids. It was simply replaced by "you know".

My personal theory based on absolutely no information whatsoever. Like many of my other thoughts.

You know Jordan Loveridge is you know plagued with the same you know problem.

[LA Ute]

I haven't heard anything about Onwas.

K was specifically asked about Olsen in the post game, and he said that he felt like Olsen was just lacking some confidence, and so they decided to see if they could instill it by starting him.

Kodiak also said that the staff thought Olsen might add the offensive ingredient the team has been missing in the post. Interesting.

[LA Ute]

I notice that Delon was 1-1 from the line. Why isn't he getting to the line more, a la Marcus Banks from the old MWC?

[justaute]

I think Olsen's game and that of Bach are so different. If I can combine the two of them, then I think we'd have a mini-version of Doleac.

- Bach= appears physically strong, fast-but-not-quick, hard worker with a bit of "rabid" on-court personality, lack of fine motor skills for shooting

- Olsen= appears physically soft, slow-and-not-quick, has soft-touch around the rim (pretty good fine motor skills)


Kodiak also said that the staff thought Olsen might add the offensive ingredient the team has been missing in the post. Interesting.

[OrangeUte]

Solid game and mentally we needed it. This team is gritty and I like that.

[Applejack]

My expectations for this team have really taken a jump in the last few weeks. We don't have any marquee wins (BYU is by far our best win), but we've played very evenly all year. In fact, according to RPI numbers we should be favored in all of our home games except Arizona (yes, that includes UCLA and Colorado). I think we are NIT bound, due to our horrific schedule, unless we can pull some major upsets along the way.

[UTEopia]

It is interesting how LK is using his bench wings. Thursday only Fields and Parker played (15 minutes total). Saturday only Ogbe and Parker played (19 minutes total). I was sitting close to the bench and watched the facial expressions of Onwas and Fields. They seemed a little pouty. It is tough to keep everyone engaged when they are not getting consistent minutes. I guess what it shows is that LK is willing to give guys opportunities and if they want to continue, they will need to produce. Although he did not score on Saturday, I thought Ogbe played stronger defense than in the past and he is not a liability on the offensive end. Parker is an offensive threat and although he tries hard on defense, he doesn't have great quickness. Fields needs to get it done on the defensive end because I think he is very limited in what he can do offensively.

It will be interesting to see what Bach does. After playing 30 minutes Thursday, his line Saturday was 16 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 4 fouls. He went into a funk last year. I hope he can play through a game like that this year. We need him.

[jrj84105]

Delon's defense gets more impressive every outing. If he had a perimeter shot, I think we'd be watching him in the NBA next year. To me it looks like he's got a mental block- is really slowing down the motion- on his outside shots. I wonder how/when he works through that. I mean, the kid looks like he could hit a three with a no look, behind the back toss sometimes, so I think it will eventually come for him.

[Applejack]

It is interesting how LK is using his bench wings. Thursday only Fields and Parker played (15 minutes total). Saturday only Ogbe and Parker played (19 minutes total). I was sitting close to the bench and watched the facial expressions of Onwas and Fields. They seemed a little pouty. It is tough to keep everyone engaged when they are not getting consistent minutes. I guess what it shows is that LK is willing to give guys opportunities and if they want to continue, they will need to produce. Although he did not score on Saturday, I thought Ogbe played stronger defense than in the past and he is not a liability on the offensive end. Parker is an offensive threat and although he tries hard on defense, he doesn't have great quickness. Fields needs to get it done on the defensive end because I think he is very limited in what he can do offensively.

It will be interesting to see what Bach does. After playing 30 minutes Thursday, his line Saturday was 16 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 4 fouls. He went into a funk last year. I hope he can play through a game like that this year. We need him.

Good points. I really want Fields to succeed at the U (mostly because he's from D.C. and has mutton chops), but his calling card is going to be defensive stopper, and he's not really close yet. But he's young. Onwas has more of an all-around game, so I think he'll make it. I think Parker is getting the most minutes of the freshmen simply because he is a heady player - he makes good decisions and plays within himself. Once Onwas and Fields get their heads wrapped around what we are doing defensively, PVD's playing time will drop.

[LA Ute]

I stole this from the UteFans board:

http://chrisshelley.com/images/moves.gif

Notice at what point in the drive the ball last touches the floor.

[U-Ute]

I stole this from the UteFans board:

Notice at what point in the drive the ball last touches the floor.

Yeah. His length and body control is incredible. He had a similar one from the top of the key in earlier this year. This also answers your other question about why he isn't getting to the line more: with his length and body control, he just simply avoids the contact.

[sancho]

Yeah. His length and body control is incredible. He had a similar one from the top of the key in earlier this year. This also answers your other question about why he isn't getting to the line more: with his length and body control, he just simply avoids the contact.

It's beautiful to watch, but the difference between him being good and great will be his ability to draw contact.

I hate that aspect of basketball - the single most important skill for a superstar is the ability to throw himself into someone else once he gets inside.

[LA Ute]

It's beautiful to watch, but the difference between him being good and great will be his ability to draw contact.

I hate that aspect of basketball - the single most important skill for a superstar is the ability to throw himself into someone else once he gets inside.

He'll score 5-10 ppg from the free throw line if he learns to do that.