OK then, let's see if we can beat Wazzu on the road: Jan. 12, 2014

[LA Ute]

Let's see if the Utes can bounce back and what, if anything, they and Kodiak have learned about playing on the road, playing PAC-12 competitions, and finishing.

[SoCalPat]

Let's see if the Utes can bounce back and what, if anything, they and Kodiak have learned about playing on the road, playing PAC-12 competitions, and finishing.

Lose this game, and I'm reassessing our ceiling for the season.

[DrumNFeather]

Wazzu looked pretty good against Colorado, so this is definitely no gimmie, but, much like football, you gotta start winning some of these road games if you want to improve your positioning at all.

[UTEopia]

I certainly don't expect this to be an easy win, but much like the game last Saturday against Oregon St., it is a critical game for the Utes. Wazzu had it's leading scorer out against CU and played them tough. The key to this game will be toughness, defense and rebounding. I think CU came out a little soft and allowed Wazzu to get an offensive rhythm and flow and it was a dogfight to the end.

[LA Ute]

From Phil Cullen's e-mail blast today:


Washington State is coming off of a tough loss to Colorado. The Cougars forced overtime play and fell short losing 71-70. Their leading scorer DaVonte Lacy has been sidelined with an appendectomy but is expected to play this weekend. He is averaging 18 pts/g and shooting almost 40% behind the 3 pt arc. Washington State plays a mixture of zone and man defenses but look to control tempo. They have managed to hold their first three opponents to almost season lows in number of possessions.

Catch us on Sunday at 5:00 pm MT on the Pac-12 Network.

The Men's Basketball Staff

[SeattleUte]

Wasu is like Wyoming. Always a tough venue. It will be cold and dark and the fans are very lound, hostile and uncouth.

[Applejack]

Wasu is like Wyoming. Always a tough venue. It will be cold and dark and the fans are very lound, hostile and uncouth.

This would actually make a great thread: SeattleUte compares Pac-12 teams to our former MWC comrades.

Arizona is clearly New Mexico - meth-ridden locale, with a surprisingly robust basketball tradition.

[UTEopia]

This would actually make a great thread: SeattleUte compares Pac-12 teams to our former MWC comrades.

Arizona is clearly New Mexico - meth-ridden locale, with a surprisingly robust basketball tradition.

The only difficulty is that there are too many schools full of arrogant, self-important people to choose just one to be the BYU.

[LA Ute]

The only difficulty is that there are too many schools full of arrogant, self-important people to choose just one to be the BYU.

USC has always seemed to me to be the BYU of the PAC-12, in terms of fan attitude (not success on the field or talent level).

[Applejack]

USC has always seemed to me to be the BYU of the PAC-12, in terms of fan attitude (not success on the field or talent level).

Cal strikes me as the SDSU of our current conference - beautiful location, good recruiting, rather terrible athletic tradition.

[roseparkutes]

only good cougar is a dead cougar! go utes!!!

[SeattleUte]

Utah is Stanford.

[Applejack]

Utah is Stanford.

:highfive:

Arizona State is clearly UNLV. A sprawling, notoriously hot city that is host to a sprawling, notoriously fratty school.

[LA Ute]

Utah is Stanford.

I was thinking Cal or UCLA because those are public universities.

[sancho]

USC has always seemed to me to be the BYU of the PAC-12, in terms of fan attitude (not success on the field or talent level).

That's too insulting to USC. I don't know as many USC fans as you do, but they have at least earned some attitude on the field.

[Scorcho]

Colorado is clearly Colorado St. (too easy) :)

outstanding in football for a brief 5 year period 15 years ago, haven't ever done anything significant in hoops

[LA Ute]

That's too insulting to USC. I don't know as many USC fans as you do, but they have at least earned some attitude on the field.

I guess there really is no BYU analogue in the PAC-12.

[LA Ute]

Returning to this thread's topic, what do you see the Utes doing differently and better Sunday afternoon? I think they will have worked on some in-bounds plays. I hope the coaches will have discussed clock management and come up with an approach.

[SeattleUte]

I guess there really is no BYU analogue in the PAC-12.

The BYU analogue is Bob Jones University.

[UTEopia]

Returning to this thread's topic, what do you see the Utes doing differently and better Sunday afternoon? I think they will have worked on some in-bounds plays. I hope the coaches will have discussed clock management and come up with an approach.


IMO they need to get more production from the center position, both in points and in rebounds. To do this they will need to try harder to get the ball down low. If they make an effort to do this I think it will also lead to better outside opportunities.

[LA Ute]

IMO they need to get more production from the center position, both in points and in rebounds. To do this they will need to try harder to get the ball down low. If they make an effort to do this I think it will also lead to better outside opportunities.

Maybe Delon will do more driving and dishing this time. Along those lines, interesting piece by Tony Jones on Bachinsky:

http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/sltrib/pages/printerfriendly.csp?id=57378579

With Mike Sorensen not doing as much these days after the changes at the DesNews, Tony's emerged as a really hard-working reporter on the Utah beat.

[#1 Utefan]

So is Wazzu's leading scorer back for this game? I feel like this is almost a must win. Utah needs to come out a lot more aggressively in this game then they did against UDub.

[Applejack]

The BYU analogue is Bob Jones University.

I used to love taking that Mountain West Conference roadie to Bob Jones. Those fans were righteous.

[DrumNFeather]

Maybe Delon will do more driving and dishing this time. Along those lines, interesting piece by Tony Jones on Bachinsky:

http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/sltrib/pages/printerfriendly.csp?id=57378579

With Mike Sorensen not doing as much these days after the changes at the DesNews, Tony's emerged as a really hard-working reporter on the Utah beat.

What's the story with Mike? Promotion or demotion?

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2

[LA Ute]

What's the story with Mike? Promotion or demotion?

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2

The DNews cut back its staff and has very few full-time reporters now. Most of the long-time people are "contributors@ and get paid per story, as I understand it. So Mike still writes stories but isn't assigned a beat.

[U-Ute]

Maybe Delon will do more driving and dishing this time. Along those lines, interesting piece by Tony Jones on Bachinsky:

http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/sltrib/pages/printerfriendly.csp?id=57378579

With Mike Sorensen not doing as much these days after the changes at the DesNews, Tony's emerged as a really hard-working reporter on the Utah beat.

That's a nice story. It's good to hear that it sounds like he's gotten his head on straight. It's also nice to hear that his brother helped him through it. They sound like a very supportive family.

[LA Ute]

Utah basketball: Utes expecting the tougher Washington State team Sunday afternoon (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865594005/Utah-basketball-Utes-expecting-the-tougher-Washington-State-team-Sunday-afternoon.html)

Utah basketball: Young Utes hope to improve in late-game situations (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865593958/Utah-basketball-Young-Utes-hope-to-improve-in-late-game-situations.html)

[Diehard Ute]

That's a nice story. It's good to hear that it sounds like he's gotten his head on straight. It's also nice to hear that his brother helped him through it. They sound like a very supportive family.

Watching the games I think Chris Burgess has also been a big help, he and Dallin seem to talk a lot.

Chris is a remarkable guy...and a great ambassador for the U. It's nice to see him on the bench.

[pangloss]

Returning to this thread's topic, what do you see the Utes doing differently and better Sunday afternoon? I think they will have worked on some in-bounds plays. I hope the coaches will have discussed clock management and come up with an approach.

Shoot better by taking shorter shots.

[Mormon Red Death]

Real barnburner we got going on

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

Looks like Lenz broke his ankle

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Applejack]

Man, Wright is an elite finisher. It's amazing how he makes you take every finish at the rim for granted.

[LA Ute]

Looks like Lenz broke his ankle

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

Either that or a terrible sprain. That turned my stomach.

[Diehard Ute]

The more I watch PVD the more I wonder why people are so high on him.

He's a liability defensively, and often seems to be lost offensively unless he's wide open and uncovered.

[Mormon Red Death]

Very sloppy end of the half

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Diehard Ute]

One thing that hasn't gotten better with the Pac12.....officiating.

[LA Ute]

I'm pretty sick of our bigs' inability to make easy layups and putbacks. What gives?

[LA Ute]

6 points scored, 8 minutes into the 2nd half. Man, we we go cold we do it big-time.

[Diehard Ute]

Does anyone else understand the way these officials call games? They let big contact go, but call a lot of ticky tack fouls. Players on both sides seem at a loss to figure out what is and isn't a foul.

[Mormon Red Death]

At least we are getting to the line a lot

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

Of course so are they

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[LA Ute]

This is like fingernails on a chalkboard.

[Diehard Ute]

Nothing like a basketball game breaking out during a whistle exhibition

[Diehard Ute]

More combined fouls called already in this game than the Oregon OT game

[LA Ute]

Well, let's just sit back and see if anyone steps up. I don't think I've see these guys play this uninspired all season.

[Diehard Ute]

Dear Utes you cannot score if you don't shoot the *^#£*!? ball!!!!!!

[LA Ute]

I've seen more shot clock violations by Utah in the last week or so than I've seen by them in years. Our offensive ineptitude is becoming a real problem.

[Diehard Ute]

Don't understand going small against this zone. There's 2 minutes left. Foul trouble be damned.

[DrumNFeather]

Feels like our guys don't know how to handle a zone.

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

Is Taylor going to hit a 3 ever again?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[LA Ute]

I really don't know what is an offensive foul anymore.

[Diehard Ute]

We just can't do anything correctly.

Sigh.

[LA Ute]

We really have got to find a way to keep our composure in crunch time. Good grief.

[Diehard Ute]

And while that *is* a travel I've seen these officials overlook far more blatant travels in this game. Is it too much to ask for consistent officiating?

[DrumNFeather]

Bad loss. Ugh.

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2

[LA Ute]

Wow. I'm now thinking the NIT is a very worthy goal for this Utah team. We should be hoping for that. It'd be a nice step forward for the program and IMO we'll be lucky to make it.

[Diehard Ute]

Yup. There are issues to be worked on...not a good performance

[Mormon Red Death]

So every game we have lost we have screwed up the last possession.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

Even though we have screwed up those possessions we still had shots to tie or win. This team is close.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

Did taylor make a 3 in the state of Washington?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[Mormon Red Death]

0-9 in these two losses.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

[LA Ute]

Even though we have screwed up those possessions we still had shots to tie or win. This team is close.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

True. I'm actually less upset about this loss than I thought I'd be. They're just not there yet, and a lot of it seems mental.

[sancho]

Wow. I'm now thinking the NIT is a very worthy goal for this Utah team. We should be hoping for that. It'd be a nice step forward for the program and IMO we'll be lucky to make it.

Two weeks ago I was laughing at our projected 9th place finish in the conference. Now I think it's pretty accurate. Guess I got suckered in by the weak OOC schedule.

So, I understand going small ball. Change things up - see if something else will work. But when it wasn't working, why did we stick with it? Go back to the offense that the team has experience with and hope something will click.

We don't have enough shooters for Taylor to go cold.

[SoCalPat]

Even though we have screwed up those possessions we still had shots to tie or win. This team is close.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

The talent on the floor has improved significantly. Our staff needs to show an upward trajectory as well. Nothing this staff has done in the final seconds of games has given me any belief that they are an upgrade in that department over the previous staffs -- which were pretty awful in their own right.

[SeattleUte]

Free throws cost us. This is what's called choking.

I think the super soft preseason schedule is a factor. We're not tough enough.

[Solon]

Free throws cost us. This is what's called choking.

I think the super soft preseason schedule is a factor. We're not tough enough.

That was a tough game to watch. Basketball is a mystery to me. I don't understand why teams just go cold for minutes on end.
All 3 of Loveridge's made FGs were in that brief 1st-half span where he hit the 2 threes & then put back Taylor's missed layup. Otherwise, he was cold as ice.

The turnover on the last possession just killed me. How many different ways can we see a team fritter away end-of-game opportunities?

[DrumNFeather]

Free throws cost us. This is what's called choking.

I think the super soft preseason schedule is a factor. We're not tough enough.

The Wazzou fan chants were on the money: "you let the whole team down"

Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2

[UBlender]

True. I'm actually less upset about this loss than I thought I'd be. They're just not there yet, and a lot of it seems mental.

Really? I haven't been this discouraged about Utah basketball in a long time. We're not an NIT team. Given our results so far against two middling and two bad PAC-12 teams, I THINK we are struggling to top 6 wins in conference. We'll pull one road win out of our butts and continue to split home stands. Unless we pull out more games in the tourney we will have fewer total PAC-12 wins than last year. That's disappointing, really disappointing.

We may have to scrap for a CBI bid.

I admit I am ranting on emotion rather than logic right now. Hopefully I will look stupid in the future for being so bleak. But man, that was a discouraging game.

[UBlender]

The talent on the floor has improved significantly. Our staff needs to show an upward trajectory as well. Nothing this staff has done in the final seconds of games has given me any belief that they are an upgrade in that department over the previous staffs -- which were pretty awful in their own right.

That criticism is justified but to me this game is different than the previous losses. Tonight is not so much about choking in the clutch as it is about absolutely sucking for the las 30 minutes of the game. We should never have needed a basket in the last minute to try to reclaim the lead.

[UteBeliever aka Port]

Really disappointing. WSU has no homecourt advantage. They were without their best player. WSU is a bad team even with him.

No rationalization for this.

Taylor has been an enormous disappointment this road trip. He's a defensive liability. Opponents are just rising up and shooting right over the top of him. On offense, he's absolutely disappeared. Not just his shot, but he's not making assists, he's turning the ball over.


Now, I'm not sure any of this is actually his fault. He is what he is. He's a very, very short, streaky, shooting guard playing the point. The problem is that we don't have an answer when he is struggling. Nobody else on the bench is any better, apparently.

Teams in good conferences and in the NCAA tournament seem to go as their PG goes. I'm not sure Taylor is a PAC12 point guard. Fire away. I'm sure I'll get lit up.

[LA Ute]

Really? I haven't been this discouraged about Utah basketball in a long time. We're not an NIT team. Given our results so far against two middling and two bad PAC-12 teams, I THINK we are struggling to top 6 wins in conference. We'll pull one road win out of our butts and continue to split home stands. Unless we pull out more games in the tourney we will have fewer total PAC-12 wins than last year. That's disappointing, really disappointing.

We may have to scrap for a CBI bid.

I admit I am ranting on emotion rather than logic right now. Hopefully I will look stupid in the future for being so bleak. But man, that was a discouraging game.

I had a sense of déjà vu. Last year we thought the team was better than they were. This year they are better than last year but not as good as we thought, They're not winners yet. They lack talent -- that's evident from Taylor's inconsistency and his physical limitations, and the ham-handedness of our bigs -- and they aren't mentally tough, which is evident from the repeated choking in pressure situations by at least three different players in three different games. I'm hoping the team can gel enough to get good enough to eke out an NIT season. Lower expectations are in order.

[SeattleUte]

Really disappointing. WSU has no homecourt advantage. They were without their best player. WSU is a bad team even with him.

No rationalization for this.

Taylor has been an enormous disappointment this road trip. He's a defensive liability. Opponents are just rising up and shooting right over the top of him. On offense, he's absolutely disappeared. Not just his shot, but he's not making assists, he's turning the ball over.


Now, I'm not sure any of this is actually his fault. He is what he is. He's a very, very short, streaky, shooting guard playing the point. The problem is that we don't have an answer when he is struggling. Nobody else on the bench is any better, apparently.

Teams in good conferences and in the NCAA tournament seem to go as their PG goes. I'm not sure Taylor is a PAC12 point guard. Fire away. I'm sure I'll get lit up.

Delon Wright is our point guard, and Taylor may be struggling out of position. Why do say WSU has no homecourt advantage?

[Solon]

Why do say WSU has no homecourt advantage?

I don't want to put words in Portland's mouth, but he might have been alluding to the fact that, based on the way it looked on TV, there were only about 33 people in the stands.
A supportive crowd isn't the only advantage a home team enjoys, but it's a big one.

[Utebiquitous]

The talent on the floor has improved significantly. Our staff needs to show an upward trajectory as well. Nothing this staff has done in the final seconds of games has given me any belief that they are an upgrade in that department over the previous staffs -- which were pretty awful in their own right.

Amen SoCal. I'm quite discouraged now that we see a definite trend - every loss involves horrendous execution down the stretch including the final seconds. It brings to mind the Bobby Knight quote, something like "Everyone wants to win but not everyone prepares to win." This team is not prepared to win and is not being prepared to win. I agree with those of you who argue that youth, inexperience and soft schedule are factors but that's not all.

Whether or not it's feasible to have a package of end of game plays or not it seems to me your players should minimally be talked through and run through a number of scenarios. The thing that is so frustrating is how poorly the final shots have been. None of them have looked like a plan that has come together (yes, an ode to George Pepard and the A-Team). Jim Soto mentioned to me that the Loveridge three at the end of regulation versus Oregon was pure improvisation after a play didn't work. At least it was a good look but you could see/tell the desperation.

i like this staff but they still aren't even close to the preparation and accountability that were foundational to Majerus' success.

[UTEopia]

I have come to the conclusion that my expectations determine how I feel about the outcome of a particular game. If I expect a win, like I did today, and it does not happen, I am disappointed. If I expect a loss, like I did against Oregon, I'm not, even if the perfect storm happens at the end of the game.

This team is better than the past few, but still has serious limitations. When you win and lose based on outside shooting, every now and then the ball is not going to go in the hoop. It didn't last night and it hasn't some other times.

I don't understand why the Utes don't try to push the ball more. The have become a walk-it-up team that fails to get a shot too much of the time. They don't put pressure on the other team defensively.

Still a lot of basketball left to play. I'm guessing there will be some more ups and downs along the way. Right now, I just don't know what to expect, so I will try to expect nothing.

[Applejack]

I don't get the angst over the loss. I've been saying all year that we have a nice team with some HUGE holes: interior play, perimeter shooting, and in-game coaching adjustments. All three of those things have cost us since the Pac schedule started. You can't just keep getting dominated in the post and expect to win consistently.

We are throwing 2.5 pac-12 caliber starters out there and competing because we play good defense (generally). It's a good recipe for keeping games tight, but we don't have any clue how to finish yet. I love JLo, but he really should be our 4th banana, not our go-to guy. But he's the best thing we've got outside of Delon, so he is forced to try to do too much.

This team is a CBI/NIT team (another swish for me). Next year, depending on how ready Kuzma and BrekKOT are, we can start talking about being a fringe NCAA team.

[sancho]

I don't get the angst over the loss. I've been saying all year that we have a nice team with some HUGE holes: interior play, perimeter shooting, and in-game coaching adjustments. All three of those things have cost us since the Pac schedule started. You can't just keep getting dominated in the post and expect to win consistently.

We are throwing 2.5 pac-12 caliber starters out there

I don't understand how that game can not be frustrating to you. That was clearly a very bad team that we lost to. If we have 2.5 Pac-12 caliber starters, WSU has -1.5. That's a +4 pac-12 caliber starter margin for us.

[LA Ute]

i like this staff but they still aren't even close to the preparation and accountability that were foundational to Majerus' success.

I feel the same way and am puzzled: This is a very experienced coaching staff. They know better. Now I am just hoping for progress. I hope the collective experience and wisdom of the staff will see what's wrong and will correct the lack of preparation and thus instill some confidence. Maybe that way we can avoid end-of-game screw-ups like these:



Delon getting the ball stolen from behind while he races down the floor against Boise State;
The in-bounds play debacle against Oregon;
Delon's last-second "hope shot" against Washington;
Our point guard traveling on our final possession against Washington State.


We lack talent in some key positions but we are playing beneath the talent we do have. With some smart play we win 2 of those 4 games. Playing at our full potential consistently will get us to the NIT.

[Scorcho]

hoping this is one of those "one step back, two steps forward" situations.

[Two Utes]

I feel the same way and am puzzled: This is a very experienced coaching staff. They know better. Now I am just hoping for progress. I hope the collective experience and wisdom of the staff will see what's wrong and will correct the lack of preparation and thus instill some confidence. Maybe that way we can avoid end-of-game screw-ups like these:



Delon getting the ball stolen from behind while he races down the floor against Boise State;
The in-bounds play debacle against Oregon;
Delon's last-second "hope shot" against Washington;
Our point guard traveling on our final possession against Washington State.


We lack talent in some key positions but we are playing beneath the talent we do have. With some smart play we win 2 of those 4 games. Playing at our full potential consistently will get us to the NIT.

It seems many of our players are reluctant to shoot and be aggressive offensively. Is that due to youth and inexperience or are coaches micromanaging these players' games and dictating what types of shots they can take?

And Brandon Taylor's 2 for 20 in Washington is the biggest reason we lost both games. There's no Big 3 with this team right now.

The craptastic preseason schedule did not prepare these kids for tough regular season games. There should have been at least a couple more decent road games on the preseason schedule. But the preseason did energize the fan base.

As for the Majerus comment, I don't recall Majerus being a genius at the end of games. We won in the Majerus era by prep and defense and basically completely taking other teams out of their game plan, not by late game coaching. At least that is my recollection.

[U-Ute]

Don't understand going small against this zone. There's 2 minutes left. Foul trouble be damned.

I felt like it was a good choice by K. Our only offense was Wright driving. By getting the post man out of there (and replacing him with a shooter Wright could pass do on the drive) it opened up the lane.

[U-Ute]

Wow. I'm now thinking the NIT is a very worthy goal for this Utah team. We should be hoping for that. It'd be a nice step forward for the program and IMO we'll be lucky to make it.

I still have hope. We're going to win a lot of home games. This team still has to learn how to win on the road.

[U-Ute]

I don't get the angst over the loss. I've been saying all year that we have a nice team with some HUGE holes: interior play, perimeter shooting, and in-game coaching adjustments. All three of those things have cost us since the Pac schedule started. You can't just keep getting dominated in the post and expect to win consistently.

We are throwing 2.5 pac-12 caliber starters out there and competing because we play good defense (generally). It's a good recipe for keeping games tight, but we don't have any clue how to finish yet. I love JLo, but he really should be our 4th banana, not our go-to guy. But he's the best thing we've got outside of Delon, so he is forced to try to do too much.

This team is a CBI/NIT team (another swish for me). Next year, depending on how ready Kuzma and BrekKOT are, we can start talking about being a fringe NCAA team.

AJ has hit it on the head.

I was hoping for a split road trip, but WSU is a little better than I expected, although they were missing Lacy.

[Two Utes]

I still have hope. We're going to win a lot of home games. This team still has to learn how to win on the road.

I think our current RPI is 183. While it will get better in this league, not sure we can reach NIT with that number.

[sancho]

I felt like it was a good choice by K. Our only offense was Wright driving. By getting the post man out of there (and replacing him with a shooter Wright could pass do on the drive) it opened up the lane.

But they did for a long time, and it didn't work. Last two minutes, go back to the system the players have been used to running.

[U-Ute]

I think our current RPI is 183. While it will get better in this league, not sure we can reach NIT with that number.

We will beat some good teams at home.

[SoCalPat]

As for the Majerus comment, I don't recall Majerus being a genius at the end of games. We won in the Majerus era by prep and defense and basically completely taking other teams out of their game plan, not by late game coaching. At least that is my recollection.

One thing that stood out to me in one period under Majerus, is that when Marc Rydalch was playing, he was the go-to guy. Which was genius, because Marc could stroke it and get to the line, exploiting a team's natural tendency to double on Van Horn, etc. I can think of at least three games in which Rydalch took the last shot in a one-possession game.

[LA Ute]

One thing that stood out to me in one period under Majerus, is that when Marc Rydalch was playing, he was the go-to guy. Which was genius, because Marc could stroke it and get to the line, exploiting a team's natural tendency to double on Van Horn, etc. I can think of at least three games in which Rydalch took the last shot in a one-possession game.

When we played Alabama (then ranked #1) in the Huntsman in 2003, Majerus had the team run a great in-bounds play to make sure the ball was in Nick Jacobson's hands. 'Bama was down by with under 10 seconds left, IIRC, and thus had to foul Nick, who made both ends of a 1-1 and iced the game. It was a beautiful thing to watch, and took place after a timeout, during which, I'm guessing, Rick drew up the play.

[SoCalPat]

We will beat some good teams at home.

Washington was one of the last teams in the NIT field last year (The NIT is seeded and has a selection committee, just like the NCAA Tournament, and awards auto bids for all regular-season champs). According to realtimerpi.com, Washington was 86th in RPI according to Lunardi's RPI calculations. UW was only 17-15 against Division I teams, but had a NC sked that featured five top 100 teams, including three in the top 20 (Ohio State, Colorado State and St. Louis). It had three games against sub-300 RPI teams.

So let's take a look at Utah. We're 10-4 vs. D-1. We have zero wins against the Top 30 (BYU at 46 is our best win). Seven games vs. RPI 272 or worse. Washington actually had a top 30 win (St. Louis). I would say that anything fewer than 20 D-1 wins TOTAL will relegate us to the CBI, unless we have multiple scalps of Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, etc. I would say the most likely route is 8 more league wins (9-9 overall mark) and two more in Vegas. I would also say that has about a 1 in 5 shot of happening.

[Utebiquitous]

Two Utes,
Respectfully, you've forgotten a lot about Majerus. I had lunch today with a couple of former Utes under Rick. Both lamented that this staff can't get the ball in a shooter's hands for a good shot late in games. Both of them peeled off a number of last second or final minute scenarios where key guys got key shots - Van Horn in the MWC tourney twice, Jacobson against UNLV in the tourney, Rydalch basically assigned the role by Rick (also mentioned by SoCal above), Soto and Grant working a high pick-and-roll late in games and either scoring or passing from it to wide open teammates, ... the list went on.

But what was most interesting was their lamentation that this team just doesn't know how to play. One blamed the coaches more than the players - the other vice-versa for the problem. They were fairly convinced that end-of-game plays are being worked on and, of course, called in the huddle or from the sidelines. However, when those plays break down our weakness of not knowing really how to play is evident. Players don't screen, cut, move into space or simply space the floor effectively once a play breaks down. Under Majerus it took time every season but the commitment to motion offense ultimately produced a team that knew how to play together and where to be whether a play/set was called or not.

[SeattleUte]

Two Utes,
Respectfully, you've forgotten a lot about Majerus. I had lunch today with a couple of former Utes under Rick. Both lamented that this staff can't get the ball in a shooter's hands for a good shot late in games. Both of them peeled off a number of last second or final minute scenarios where key guys got key shots - Van Horn in the MWC tourney twice, Jacobson against UNLV in the tourney, Rydalch basically assigned the role by Rick (also mentioned by SoCal above), Soto and Grant working a high pick-and-roll late in games and either scoring or passing from it to wide open teammates, ... the list went on.

But what was most interesting was their lamentation that this team just doesn't know how to play. One blamed the coaches more than the players - the other vice-versa for the problem. They were fairly convinced that end-of-game plays are being worked on and, of course, called in the huddle or from the sidelines. However, when those plays break down our weakness of not knowing really how to play is evident. Players don't screen, cut, move into space or simply space the floor effectively once a play breaks down. Under Majerus it took time every season but the commitment to motion offense ultimately produced a team that knew how to play together and where to be whether a play/set was called or not.

The second paragraph of your post is as you note the most interesting. I do think there's an element of close game outcomes that is like how Tolstoy described war -- lots of moving parts and bodies; too much motion, surprise and uncertainty for anything to go as planned. Ultimately, it's an intangible something within the participants on the battlefield that turns the tide and determines the outcome, and rarely is it because of anything the generals directly did (yes, that was very eloquent but I am paraphrasing Tolstoy). I'm remembering both times Van Horn hit game winning buzzer beaters in the NCAA tournament -- vs. New Mexico and vs. SMU. Those outcomes were more about Van Horn and his presence of mind and skill than what Majerus mapped out during the previous timeout, I'm sure.

[SoCalPat]

The second paragraph of your post is as you note the most interesting. I do think there's an element of close game outcomes that is like how Tolstoy described war -- lots of moving parts and bodies; too much motion, surprise and uncertainty for anything to go as planned. Ultimately, it's an intangible something within the participants on the battlefield that turns the tide and determines the outcome, and rarely is it because of anything the generals directly did (yes, that was very eloquent but I am paraphrasing Tolstoy). I'm remembering both times Van Horn hit game winning buzzer beaters in the NCAA tournament -- vs. New Mexico and vs. SMU. Those outcomes were more about Van Horn and his presence of mind and skill than what Majerus mapped out during the previous timeout, I'm sure.

It is worth noting that both KVH buzzer beaters came on plays that started with the ball in Andre's hands. And to me, placing the ball in the hands of a player like Andre (not known for his shooting) is the closest you will see a coach in surrendering majority control of his team.

I agree in that we work on end-game plays. I wonder if we actually work on them with a running clock. That's an absurd thought, but were so bad at the end of games, it becomes a fair point to being up.

[concerned]

IIRC, the first buzzer beater against SMU was a Hail Mary throw in from underneath the basket with less than a second on the clock, that Van Horn swatted at, and it went in. Every team in college or pros draws up that same play in that circumstance, b/c there isnt enough time to do anything else. The second against UNM was a put back of an Andre Miller miss. Agree with SU that they had more to do with Van Horn than any X's and O's.

Which is not to say that this team isnt dreadful, because it is.

[SeattleUte]

Two of our four losses would have been different had we just hit 75% from the line. I really think the soft schedule is a big proglem.

[LA Ute]

But what was most interesting was their lamentation that this team just doesn't know how to play. One blamed the coaches more than the players - the other vice-versa for the problem. They were fairly convinced that end-of-game plays are being worked on and, of course, called in the huddle or from the sidelines. However, when those plays break down our weakness of not knowing really how to play is evident. Players don't screen, cut, move into space or simply space the floor effectively once a play breaks down. Under Majerus it took time every season but the commitment to motion offense ultimately produced a team that knew how to play together and where to be whether a play/set was called or not.

This makes sense. If I'm not mistaken, this Utah team has 9 players on it who were somewhere else last season. I am not making excuses, just looking for reasons. It may be that the team just hasn't learned to play together yet, and hasn't internalized the way Krysko wants them to play. Some coaches (Majerus, for example) seem to be able to infuse a style/culture of play more quickly than others.

[Utebiquitous]

Seattle,
Leave it to you to go Tolstoy on me. I love that - it actually is a terrific comparison. To you, SoCal and others, I agree on Andre Miller but it also proves the larger point these former players made today. They lament that players don't seem to know how to play.

[Utah]

Two years ago, Washburn might have been the only PAC-12 player on this team. That's it. Now, we have a lot of YOUNG PAC-12 caliber players, with a great class coming in for next year.

And people are complaining? Wow. Just...wow.

Unreal. Rome wasn't built.....

[Utah]

It's like football. The last three years, we win 10+ games in the MWC. BUT, we had zero depth. This upcoming season will be our first season with any SEMBLANCE of depth. This is the first season we have a realistic chance to compete. 2014. First time. But, here we are whining and complaining like we are USC or something. Unreal.

[SoCalPat]

It's like football.

Stop. You've already identified why people are upset. No more needs to be said.