Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round) on March 10, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 73
Final Score
Men's Basketball
66
vs No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round)
73
The University of Utah Athletics
Utes Conclude Exhibition Season
11/8/1999 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 8, 1999
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utes conclude the exhibition season against the California West All-Stars on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won its first exhibition game, 92-53, over the Nunawading Spectres, an Australian club team, last Friday night.
In the Polls
Utah was ranked 15th in the USA Today/ESPN preseason poll released on Nov. 4. The A.P. preseason poll has not yet been released.
The Utes finished the 1998-99 season ranked in both major national polls. Utah finished sixth in the Associated Press poll and 10th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Utah fell out of the rankings for the first time since the start of the 1994-95 season on Dec. 14, 1998. After a seven-week absence, the Utes returned to the national polls on Feb. 1, 1999 and were ranked in the final seven polls of the season. Utah has finished the season ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation three consecutive years.
A Quick Look at Utah
Ute head coach Rick Majerus welcomes back four starters and nine letterwinners in 1999-2000. Utah will retain 76.3 percent of its scoring and 70.8 percent its rebounding from a team that went 28-5 overall in 1998-99, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, won the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division title with a 14-0 record and claimed the WAC Tournament championship.
Back to lead the Utes are two three-year veterans in senior forwards Alex Jensen (6-7, 225) and Hanno Mottola (6-9, 250), both were named first-team all-WAC Pacific Division in 1998-99. Jensen is the team's leading returner in rebounds (7.6 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg), as well as the second-best scorer coming back (12.1 ppg). Mottola is the Utes' top returning scorer (15.3 ppg) and second-best returning rebounder (5.4 rpg).
Junior Nate Althoff (6-11, 260) started 30 of 32 games at center last season, averaging 4.9 points and 4.5 rebounds. Althoff led the team in blocked shots (1.3 bpg) and field goal percentage (.604). Senior guard Jeremy Killion (5-11, 190) is back for his second and final year with the Utes. Killion, who was named to the WAC Pacific Division all-newcomer team after transferring from Palomar Junior College, averaged 8.9 points per game and shot 34.5 percent from three-point range last season.
Another junior college transfer who made an impact in ?98-99 was Tony Harvey (6-5, 200), who filled any position on the floor from point guard to small forward. The transfer from Cerritos Junior College played in the final 24 games of the season with Utah winning 23 in a row before losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Harvey is Utah's third-leading returning scorer (9.0 ppg). The senior also averaged 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and shot 35.9 percent from behind the arc last season.
The three other returning letterwinners from last season are sophomore center/forward Phil Cullen (6-9, 215) and sophomore guard Adam Sharp (6-2, 180). Cullen played in 33 games last season and started twice, averaging 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds. He has an excellent shooting touch for a big man, hitting 37.7 percent of his three-point tries as a rookie. Sharp averaged 2.3 points, 1.2 boards and 1.1 assists in 32 games ?98-99. Also back for his fourth season as a walk-on is Brandon Sluga (6-4, 210), who plays both the two guard and small forward positions.
The Utes gain an eligible non-qualifier and two returning Mormon missionaries. Gary Colbert (6-1, 175), a native of Alta Loma, Calif., will be a sophomore this season after sitting out last year under NCAA admission standards. He is expected to contend for the starting position at point guard. Guard/forward Jeff Johnsen (6-4, 200) played in 32 games and started seven as a freshman in 1996-97. He averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Mike Puzey (6-8, 215) sat out the 1996-97 season as a redshirt and will be a freshman this season.
Scouting the Opponent
The California West All-Stars are on a 14-game tour of the western United States that began on Nov. 1. Utah is the team's seventh opponent with the All-Stars taking a 3-3 record into Tuesday night's game. The team opened the trip with a 97-94 win at Wyoming on Nov. 1. On Sunday, the All-Stars defeated Idaho 78-67.
Although the team's roster has varied from game to game, the team has featured former Ute Jimmy Carroll, who played at the U. from 1993-95 and transferred to Nevada, where he graduated from in 1998. Former Loyola Marymount star Bo Kimble has also played on the team.
Exhibition Game #2
Utah Utes vs. California West All-Stars
Nov. 9 - 7:05 p.m. (MST) - Jon M. Huntsman Center - Salt Lake City
Utah Probable Starters
| 1998-99 | ||||||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Ppg | Rpg | Hometown |
| 50 | F | Alex Jensen | 6-7 | 225 | Sr. | 12.1 | 7.6 | Centerville, Utah |
| 13 | F | Hanno Mottola | 6-9 | 250 | Sr. | 15.3 | 5.4 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 40 | C | Phil Cullen | 6-9 | 215 | So. | 4.3 | 2.9 | Chelan, Wash. |
| 5 | G | Tony Harvey | 6-5 | 200 | Sr. | 9.0 | 2.8 | Carson, Calif. |
| 32 | G | Jeremy Killion | 5-11 | 190 | Sr. | 8.9 | 1.9 | San Diego, Calif. |
Off the Bench
| 1998-99 | ||||||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Ppg | Rpg | Hometown |
| 3 | G | Gary Colbert | 6-1 | 175 | So. | - - | - - | Alta Loma, Calif. |
| 4 | G | Adam Sharp | 6-2 | 180 | So. | 2.3 | 1.2 | Salt Lake City |
| 15 | F | Nick Jacobson | 6-3 | 185 | Fr. | - - | - - | Roseville, Minn. |
| 21 | G | Trent Whiting | 6-0 | 180 | Jr. | - - | - - | Kuna, Idaho |
| 25 | G | Brandon Sluga | 6-4 | 210 | Sr. | 1.0 | 0.5 | Taylorsville, Utah |
| 35 | G/F | Jeff Johnsen | 6-4 | 200 | So. | - - | - - | Murray, Utah |
| 42 | F | Mike Puzey | F | 6-8 | 215 | - - | - - | Roy, Utah |
| 52 | C | Nate Althoff * | 6-11 | 260 | Jr. | 4.9 | 4.5 | Delano, Minn. |
After This
Utah opens its regular season by playing in the Preseason National Invitational Tournament. The Utes host Arkansas State next Tuesday (Nov. 16) at 7:05 p.m. to open the tournament. If Utah wins that game, it will face the winner of Kentucky/Pennsylvania next Friday (Nov. 19) at a site to be determined at 5:00 p.m. (MST) on ESPN.
Team Notes
Utes Defeat Australian Club Team in Exhibition Opener
Utah opened its exhibition season with a 92-53 defeat of the Nunawading Spectres, a club team from Melbourne, Australia, last Friday night at the Huntsman Center.
A couple of sophomores led the way for the Utes. Phil Cullen had 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the team in both categories. Jeff Johnsen, still playing his way into shape after a two-year LDS church mission, had a solid all-around game with 16 points, six rebounds, four steals and four assists.
Tony Harvey, who started the game at point guard, and Hanno Mottola had 15 points each. Harvey also shot 6-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from behind the arc. He dished out three assists and had no turnovers in 22 minutes. Mottola added eight rebounds.
Nunawading, playing the opener of a seven-game swing through the states, stayed with the Utes early. The Spectres jumped out to a 7-0 lead as the Utes missed their first six shots. But Cullen, starting in place of injured center Nate Althoff, scored seven straight points to get his team untracked. Utah led 46-25 at halftime and outscored Nunawading 46-28 in the second half.
Along with Harvey, the Utes are in the process of breaking in two other point guards to replace All-American Andre Miller, the only starter not returning from last year. Gary Colbert, a non-qualifier last season, had five points, two assists and three turnovers in 19 minutes. Trent Whiting, a transfer from Snow Junior College, had one free throw, four assists and six turnovers in 22 minutes.
Utah shot 45.8 percent from the field, 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from three-point range and 65.4 percent from the free throw line. The Utes also had a 44 to 32 edge on the boards and committed 13 turnovers for the game after having just four in the first half.
Rick's Remarks
"What are you going to say (about the game with Nunawading)? It's so hard to tell. They were a dog team. They're probably nice guys, but they were a bad team."
"I don't have a handle on the ebb and flow of the team. I thought our effort was good, but why wouldn't it be. We shot bad, very bad from the foul line. Whiting, Colbert and Nate have missed some practice time with injuries. Trent's trying to learn two positions right now. It's tough to move between the one and the two. Colbert also had four ?good' turnovers."
From the Training Room
Junior center Nate Althoff did not dress for Utah's first exhibition game last Friday and is questionable for the final exhibition game on Tuesday. Althoff has been sidelined with a back sprain. Junior guard Trent Whiting has not missed any playing time but has been limited somewhat in the preseason by a stress reaction in his quads.
Night with the Runnin' Utes Rewind
Over 4,000 fans anxious to get an early glimpse of the 1999-2000 team showed up at the Huntsman Center for Utah's annual Night with the Runnin' Utes on Oct. 26.
Senior Hanno Mottola led all scorers with 21 points. Sophomore Jeff Johnsen, who returned from his two-year LDS church mission in June, hit the boards well and looked sharp scoring 17 points.
Phil Cullen displayed an inside-outside game and scored 17 points in a scrimmage of two 15-minute halves. A bulkier Nate Althoff showed off some new inside moves and an 18-foot jumper to toss in 14 points. Tony Harvey, who won both the three-point shooting and dunking contests, contributed 10 points.
Utes in the Preseason NIT
For the first time in the 15-year history of the prestigious tournament, Utah has been invited to participate in the Preseason NIT. Along with the Utes, the 16-team field is headlined by two-time Preseason NIT champion Arizona, 1999 NCAA Final Four participant Ohio State and 1999 regional finalists Kentucky and Maryland. Rounding out the field are Arkansas State, Davidson, Fordham, Hofstra, Kansas State, New Mexico State, Notre Dame, Pennsylvania, San Francisco, Siena and Tulane.
Utah hosts Arkansas State on Nov. 16 at 7:05 p.m. in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Should the Utes reach the second round, they will face the winner of the Kentucky/Pennsylvania game, which will be played on Nov. 17 in Lexington, Ky, at a site to be determined. Utah's NIT second round game would be televised by ESPN on Nov. 19 at 5:00 p.m. (MST).
All first and second round games of the NIT will be played on campus sites. The tournament begins on Nov. 16 with Hofstra visiting New Mexico State, Arizona hosting Kansas State (ESPN2), Notre Dame traveling to Ohio State (ESPN2) and Siena hosting Davidson. The remaining games on Nov. 17 are San Francisco at Maryland and Fordham at Tulane. The sites for all second round games will be determined after the first round.
The semifinal and championship round doubleheaders will take place in New York's Madison Square Garden on Nov. 24 and 26. Both semifinals and the championship game will be televised by ESPN.
Utes Favored to Win Inaugural MWC Championship
Both the league coaches and media overwhelmingly selected Utah to finish atop the conference and claim the first-ever Mountain West Conference men's basketball title. New Mexico was picked second in both polls, followed by a third-place tie in the coaches' poll with UNLV and Wyoming. Colorado State was selected to finish fifth, BYU sixth and then another tie for seventh place between San Diego State and Air Force. In the media poll, UNLV was chosen to finish third, followed by Wyoming, Colorado State, BYU, San Diego State and Air Force.
Ute seniors Alex Jensen and Hanno Mottola and were named to the preseason all-conference team by both the coaches and the media. The media honored Mottola as the league's top returning player.
Utes Add Three Newcomers To 1999-2000 Team
Rick Majerus has added three new players this year's team. Junior college transfer Trent Whiting (G, 6-0, 180) and freshman Nick Jacobson (F, 6-3, 185) are available to play in 1998-99. Chris Burgess (C, 6-9, 245), a transfer from Duke, must sit out this season.
Whiting, from of Kuna, Idaho, played two seasons at Snow College. The NJCAA All-American can play either guard position and is expected to contend for the starting spot at point guard. He averaged 18.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game in 1998-99. Jacobson spent his senior year at Roseville (Minn.) High School after playing three seasons at Shanley High School in Fargo, N.D. Jacobson was an honorable mention All-American and a finalist for the Mr. Basketball award in Minnesota in 1998-99, averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
Burgess will be a junior when be becomes eligible in 2000-01. The Irvine, Calif., native was a McDonald's High School All-American. He played in 75 games and started 16 in two seasons at Duke, averaging 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Awesome Alex
Senior forward Alex Jensen (6-7, 225) has started all 67 games the last two seasons since returning from a two-year LDS church mission. Jensen is Utah's second-leading returning scorer (12.1 ppg) and top returning rebounder (7.6 rpg) from last season. He is also an excellent defensive player who can defend all five positions on the floor.
Perhaps one of the best unknown players in the country, Jensen earned first team all-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division honors last season and was named to the league all-defensive team. A well-rounded player, Jensen led Utah in scoring four times, rebounds 14 times and assists six times. Jensen was also voted the WAC Tournament MVP after averaging 16.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in three games, leading the Utes to the championship.
Jensen ranked ninth in the WAC in rebounds (7.6 rpg) and 16th in assists (3.4 apg) last season. The Centerville, Utah, native was also second on the Utah team in field goal percentage (.543) and was its most accurate three-point shooter (.398) in ?98-99. He scored in double figures 23 times and had 20 points or more twice. Jensen posted 10 double-doubles and one rare triple double (points, rebounds, assists) last season. His triple-double of 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Fresno State on Jan. 25 was only the second in the 30-year history of the Jon M. Huntsman Center, the other was posted by Magic Johnson of Michigan State in the semifinals of the 1979 NCAA Final Four.
Jensen ranks fourth in career offensive rebounds (259) and sixth in defensive rebounds (397) at the U.
Magnificent Mottola
Senior forward Hanno Mottola (6-9, 250) has been named one of the top foreign players in college basketball by Sports Illustrated. The Helsinki, Finland, native earned first team all-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division honors last season and was named second team all-WAC in the Mountain Division in 1997-98. Mottola started all 67 games the last two seasons, and is Utah's top returning scorer (15.3 ppg) and second-leading returning rebounder (5.4 rpg) from 1998-99.
As a junior, Mottola ranked 13th in the WAC in scoring (15.3 ppg) and was Utah's top scorer during the conference season with an average of 16.4 points per game. He led the conference in free throw percentage (.833) and was ninth in field goal percentage (.482). Mottola also made 35.4 percent of his three-point field goals (34-of-96).
Mottola led the Utes in scoring a team-best 13 times, scoring in double figures in all but four of the 33 games and tossing in 20 points or more on nine occasions. He was the team's leading rebounder in 11 games and had two double-doubles.
Mottola ranks high in several career statistical categories at the U. He is 22nd all-time in scoring (1,134), seventh in defensive rebounds (305), 10th in offensive boards (145) and 12th in blocked shots (38).
Preseason Honors for Hanno
Hanno Mottola has been rated among the top players in college basketball during the preseason. Playboy magazine selected Mottola to their 10-player All-America team. He has also been named one of the early finalists for the Wooden and Naismith National Player of the Year awards. Basketball News named Mottola as the 12th-best inside-outer in college basketball.
Harvey, Jensen and Mottola Rated Among Top 25 at Their Position
Three Utes were ranked among the top 25 players in the nation at their respective positions by Dick Vitale's College Basketball. Tony Harvey (6-5, 200) was ranked as the 21st-best shooting guard in the nation, while Alex Jensen (6-9, 250) was rated as the 20th-best swing forward. Hanno Mottola (6-9, 250) was rated at the fourth-best power forward in the country.
Ute Frontcourt Rated One of the Best in the Nation
Utah's frontcourt of Hanno Mottola (6-9, 250), Alex Jensen (6-7, 225) and Nate Althoff (6-11, 260) was ranked as the third-best in the nation by Athlon Sports. The Ute trio was rated behind UConn's Kevin Freeman, Jake Voskuhl, Ajou Ajou Deng and Cincinnati's Pete Mickeal, Kenyon Martin, Jermaine Tate and DerMarr Johnson.
Majerus' Mark
Rick Majerus is 238-64 (.788) in 10 years at Utah and is 337-116 (.744) in 15 years as a head coach. He has averaged nearly 24 wins per year at Utah?amazing in that he coached just six games in his first season before undergoing heart surgery (he was 4-2 in 1989-90). In nine full seasons at Utah, he has won 20-plus games eight times, missing out only in 1993-94 (14-14).
In his last nine years, Majerus has averaged 26 wins per year. He has won seven WAC championships?including five straight (the last three being WAC divisional titles). He has taken the Utes to seven NCAA Tournaments and has never lost a first-round game. In that time, he has led Utah to the Sweet 16 four times, the Elite Eight twice and one Final Four. He also took Ball State to the NCAA Tourney back in 1989.
Majerus is the fourth-winningest active coach with a .744 winning percentage. Only Roy Williams (Kansas), Jerry Tarkanian (Fresno State) and John Kresse (College of Charleston) have better winning percentages. Majerus ranked seventh among active coaches before the 1998-99 season, but moved ahead of Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) and John Chaney (Temple). He also moved into the top 20 in all-time winning percentage last season and currently ranks 15th.
Recording his 300th career victory during the 1997-98 season, Majerus is one of just 12 college coaches all-time to reach the 300-win plateau in less than 15 seasons. Only five coaches have won 300 games in fewer seasons than Majerus. He has earned National Coach of the Year honors in three of his 10 seasons at Utah. He is also a seven-time District Coach of the Year and a five-time WAC Coach of the Year.
Summer Action for Mottola and Althoff
Hanno Mottola played for the Finnish National Team in a four-country tournament with Lithuania, Russia and Germany in Helsinki in May. Mottola ranked second in the tournament with averages of 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. He also led the tournament in three-point field goals by going 7-of-9 (.778).
Nate Althoff played for the Nike NIT All Stars team that toured Austria and the Czech Republic for 13 days in early August. He averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game during the trip. He also shot 78.6 percent from the free throw line.
Schedule Headlines
Utah's regular-season schedule is highlighted by 11 games against teams that were invited to postseason play in 1998-99. During the non-conference portion of its schedule, Utah has a road game against in-state rival Weber State, which advanced to the second round of the NCAAs last season, on Dec. 1 in Ogden, Utah. Texas, which lost in the first round of the NCAAs last season, visits the Huntsman Center on Dec. 22. Utah also faces 1999 NCAA Tournament participant Louisville on Jan. 6 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.
Once Utah begins its inaugural Mountain West Conference schedule, it will face New Mexico, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, and NIT participants Colorado State, UNLV and Wyoming.
Utes on Television
A record of at least 20 Utah games will be televised this season, including all 14 Mountain West Conference regular-season games. The Utes will be featured at least 10 times on ABC, ESPN and ESPN Regional Television, the maximum number of appearances allowed under the Mountain West Conference's seven-year agreement with ESPN Inc. Utah's game at Washington State on Dec. 11 will be carried nationally by Fox Sports Net.
The Utes' game at New Mexico on Feb. 19 will be broadcast regionally by ABC at 4:00 p.m. (MST). Five of Utah's Mountain West Conference games?three of which are at home?will be televised as a part of ESPN's "Big Monday" line-up at 10:00 p.m. (MST). The national cable network will carry Utah's games at San Diego State on Jan. 10, Colorado State at home on Jan. 24, New Mexico at home on Jan. 31, UNLV at home on Feb. 21 and at Wyoming on Feb. 28. ESPN will also televise the Utah's home game against Texas on Dec. 22 at 10:00 p.m. (MST).
ESPN Regional Television, a syndicated over-the-air network under the moniker of ESPN+Plus, will feature Utah three times in its Mountain West Conference "Game of the Week" package. KJZZ-TV is the network's Salt Lake City affiliate. At least nine Utah games will also be televised locally by KJZZ-TV.
Final RPI Ratings
Utah ended the 1998-99 season ranked in the top 20 of both of the major national power ratings. The College Basketball News ranked Utah 18th, while the Sagarin Ratings placed the Utes 14th.
Home Unbeaten Streak at 35 Games
Utah enters the 1999-2000 season with the third-longest active homecourt winning streak in NCAA Division I. The Utes have won 35 straight games in the Jon M. Huntsman Center dating back to a Dec. 31, 1996 loss to Wake Forest. Utah's streak, which began with an 84-63 win over Colorado State on Jan. 4, 1997, ranks behind Murray State's (43) and Duke's (36). It is also the longest homecourt winning streak in school history.
Utah went 14-0 at home in 1998-99 to post the sixth undefeated home season in the 30-year history of the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Five of those undefeated home seasons have come under Rick Majerus: 1990-91 (16-0), 1992-93 (15-0), 1994-95 (15-0), 1997-98 (13-0), 1998-99 (14-0). The Utes are 129-10 (.928) in the Huntsman Center under Majerus and have never lost back-to-back home games.
The Utes also won 27 consecutive home games from Jan. 29, 1994 through Jan 2, 1996. The streak ended with a 65-64 loss to Fresno State on Jan. 8, 1996.
Noting the 1998-99 Season
Five Straight 25 Win Seasons
Utah joined an elite group in college basketball history by posting its fifth consecutive 25-win season in 1998-99. Only 13 times has an NCAA Division I program won 25 games in five consecutive seasons. The Utes are tied with five other programs with five straight 25-win campaigns, owning the only active streak among that group. This season, Utah could tie Syracuse's run of six straight 25-win seasons from 1990-96 for the seventh-longest streak of 25-win seasons. UCLA tops the list with 10 consecutive 25-win seasons from 1966-76.
Twenty-Twenty Vision
For the 27th time in its history, Utah won 20 games in 1998-99. Under current coach Rick Majerus, Utah has hit for 20 wins in eight of his 10 seasons, including the last five in a row. Majerus' 20-win seasons at Utah: 1990-91 (30-4), 1991-92 (24-11), 1992-93 (24-7), 1994-95 (28-6), 1995-96 (27-7), 1996-97 (29-4), 1997-98 (30-4), 1998-99 (28-5).
Six Utes Earn All-WAC Pacific Division Honors in 1998-99
Utah's Rick Majerus was named the Pacific Division Coach of the Year and point guard Andre Miller was honored the Pacific Division Player of the Year to headline six Utes awarded all-WAC Pacific Division honors from the league's 16 head coaches.
Joining Miller on the first team were forwards Alex Jensen and Hanno Mottola. Jensen and Miller were also selected to the all-defensive team. Forward Tony Harvey and guard Jeremy Killion were named to the all-newcomer team.
NCAA Tournament Returns to the Huntsman Center in March
The University of Utah's Jon M. Huntsman Center will host NCAA Tournament West Region first and second round games in March. Four first round games will be played on March 16 and two second round games will take place on March 18.
Recognized as a site of championships, the Huntsman Center, which opened its doors in 1969, has housed numerous national championships. In 1979, the arena accommodated the NCAA Final Four?deemed one of the most successful ever held?featuring Michigan State's Magic Johnson and Indiana State's Larry Bird in the championship game. The arena has also hosted eight national gymnastics championships.
This marks the 13th time the Huntsman Center has hosted the NCAA Tournament. The JMHC ranks third among the nation's arenas for the most NCAA Tournament games hosted, with 63 having been played in the building.
Utes Move to Mountain West Conference
The 1999-2000 season marks the beginning of a new era in Utah basketball history. The Utes joined seven other institutions on July 1, 1999 in the launch of the new Mountain West Conference. It is the newest NCAA Division I conference, but the names of the members should be very familiar. The new conference?half of whose schools were charter members of the Western Athletic Conference when it was formed back in 1962?consists of Utah, Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State and Wyoming.
Craig Thompson is the conference's first commissioner. Amy Turner is the Assistant Commissioner for Communications. The league concludes its first season of competition with the Mountain West Conference Tournament, March 9-11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Of the eight teams comprising the new league, five received postseason invitations a year ago: Utah and New Mexico were in the NCAA Tournament field, each advancing to the second round, Colorado State, UNLV and Wyoming played in the NIT.
Defense, Defense, Defense
One of the trademarks of a Rick Majerus coached team is a stifling half-court defense. In 10 seasons under Majerus, Utah has ranked in the top 30 in the nation eight times in field goal percentage defense, seven times in the top 25 in scoring defense, seven times in the top 25 in scoring margin and seven times in the top 30 in rebound margin.
Utah ranked fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense last season, giving up just 55.4 points per game. The Utes have been in the top eight three times in 10 seasons. The Utes ranked ninth in the nation in rebound margin last season (8.2 rpg) and have been ranked among the top 15 teams in the country in that category five years in a row. Utah has been among the top 30 teams in the nation in field goal percentage defense five consecutive years, including four top-10 rankings. The Utes were 29th in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense last season, limiting their opponents to 39.5 percent shooting from the floor.
Thanks to their stifling defense, the U. has also ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation in scoring margin five years in a row and seven times in the last 10 years. The Utes ranked fifth in the nation in scoring margin in 1998-99, outscoring the opposition by an average of 15.9 points per game.
Mottola Third Ute Academic All-American in Two Years
Hanno Mottola, carrying on in the tradition of academic success under head coach Rick Majerus, was selected as a GTE second-team Academic All-American in 1998-99. Mottola carried a 3.33 cumulative GPA in economics.
Utah has more Academic All-Americans than any other program in the last two years. Michael Doleac and Drew Hansen were both named to the GTE Academic All-America team as seniors in 1997-98. Doleac, biology major, was a first-team selection with 3.41 GPA. Hansen, holder of a near-perfect 3.99 GPA in political science/economics, made the third team. Because of them, Utah became the first NCAA Final Four team to have two Academic All-Americans in its starting line-up.
Classroom Champions
Three of the five starters for the Runnin' Utes?Hanno Mottola, Alex Jensen and Jeremy Killion?made the U. of U. academic honor roll for the 1999 spring semester. Reserve Adam Sharp, as well as walk-ons Zac Dalton, Charles Huff, Sid Krommenhoek and Brandon Sluga, were also selected to the honor roll. Mottola and Sharp were named to the Western Athletic Conference all-academic team and honored as WAC scholar-athletes.
During the 1998 fall semester, nine Utes (seven on scholarship) were named to the academic honor roll. Scholarship players making the list with at least a 3.00 GPA were Mottola, Sharp, Shane Willis, Killion, Phil Cullen, Gary Colbert and Brad Crockett. Walk-ons Dalton and Krommenhoek also made the list.
All players on Utah's roster are on track to graduate. The team cumulative grade point average is above a 3.00. Utah's team GPA has been above a 3.05 in each of the last three years. Rick Majerus has had 18 players make the honor roll a combined 108 times during his tenure.
Majerus Featured in DIRECTV and ESPN Commercials
Utah head coach Rick Majerus has been named DIRECTV's advertising spokesman for its college basketball pay-per-view package, ESPN FULL COURT, during the 1999-2000 season. Majerus will appear in both print ads and television commercials produced by DIRECTV throughout the 1999-2000 college basketball season. Majerus will also appear with college basketball analyst Dick Vitale in an ESPN commercial promoting the cable network's college basketball coverage.
1998-99 WAC/NCAA Stats
Team
| Stat | WAC | NCAA | ||
| Scoring Offense: | 71.3 | 10th | - - | |
| Scoring Defense: | 55.4 | 1st | 4th | |
| Scoring Margin: | 15.9 | 1st | 5th | |
| FG Percentage: | .477 | 2nd | 13th | |
| FG Pct. Defense: | .395 | 3rd | 29th | |
| FT Percentage: | .699 | 5th | - - | |
| Rebound Margin: | 8.2 | 1st | 9th | |
| 3 Pt. Percentage: | .345 | 9th | - - | |
| 3 Pt./Game: | 6.4 | 7th | - - | |
| W/L Percentage: | .848 | 1st | 6th |
Individual
WAC NCAA
Nate Althoff
Blocks: 1.3 7th - -
Alex Jensen
Rebounds: 7.6 9th - -
Assists: 3.4 16th - -
Jeremy Killion
3 Pt. %: .345 19th - -
3 Pt./Game 1.8 11th - -
Andre Miller
Scoring: 15.8 12th - -
FG %: .491 8th - -
Assists: 5.6 4th 26th
Steals: 2.6 2nd - -
Hanno Mottola
Scoring: 15.3 13th - -
FG %: .482 9th - -
FT %: .833 1st - -
Utes in the Final
1998-99 NCAA Game Highs
Team - Field Goal Percentage
Team (Date) Rank Mark vs. San Jose State (Jan. 23) 3rd 70.0% (28-for-40)
Current Homecourt Winning Streaks
| 1. | Murray State | 43 |
| 2. | Duke | 36 |
| 3. | UTAH | 35 |
| 4. | Arizona | 32 |
| Cincinnati | 32 |
Utah's Preseason Rankings
| Basketball News | 17 |
| Blue Ribbon Yearbook | 14 |
| Dick Vitale | 16 |
| Sporting News | 17 |
| Street & Smith's | 19 |
Utah in the Polls
USA Today/ESPN Associated Press 1. Connecticut (9) Preseason poll has 2. Michigan St. (8) not been released 3. Cincinnati (8) 4. Auburn 5. N. Carolina (2) 6. Ohio State (2) 7. Temple (2) 8. Florida 9. Arizona 10. Duke 11. Kansas 12. Kentucky 13. Stanford 14. UCLA 15. Utah 16. Tennessee 17. Syracuse 18. Illinois 19. St. John's 20. DePaul 21. Purdue 22. Texas 23. Maryland 24. Miami (Fla.) 25. Oklahoma St.
Sizing Up The MWC
Had the eight schools that now comprise the Mountain West Conference been together a year ago, the conference standings would have looked like this.
| Conf.* | Pct. | Overall | Pct. | ||
| 1. | UTAH | 14-0 | 1.000 | 28-5 | .848 |
| 2. | New Mexico | 9-5 | .643 | 25-9 | .735 |
| UNLV | 9-5 | .643 | 16-13 | .552 | |
| 4. | Colorado State | 7-7 | .500 | 19-11 | .633 |
| Wyoming | 7-7 | .500 | 18-10 | .643 | |
| 6. | Brigham Young | 6-8 | .429 | 12-16 | .429 |
| 7. | Air Force | 2-12 | .143 | 10-16 | .365 |
| San Diego State | 2-12 | .143 | 4-22 | .154 |
*Note: Utah, Brigham Young, UNLV, New Mexico and San Diego State formed the WAC Pacific Division in 1998-99, while Air Force, Colorado State and Wyoming were in the Mountain Division. There were no crossover games between the two divisions.
Utes Among Top Returning
MWC Players
A look at where Ute players rank statistically among the top returning players in the Mountain West Conference.
Scoring
4. Hanno Mottola 15.3
Rebounds
2. Alex Jensen 7.6
Assists
6. Alex Jensen 3.4
Blocked Shots
2. Nate Althoff 1.3
3-Pt. Field Goals Per Game
5. Jeremy Killion 1.8
3-Pt. Field Goal Percentage
7. Jeremy Killion .345
Field Goal Percentage
2. Hanno Mottola .482
Free Throw Percentage
1. Hanno Mottola .833
Utah Tradition
The Rick Majerus Era
1998-99 Game-by-Game Results
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | W-L | WAC | Utah High Scorer | Opp. High Scorer | High Rebounder | High Assists | Att. | |||||
| Nov. 14 | AZUSA PACIFIC | W | 76-47 | 1-0 | - - | Mottola | 16 | Joseph | 12 | Jensen | 9 | Miller | 7 | 13,173 | |
| Nov. 18 | at Utah State | L | 62-54 | 1-1 | - - | Miller | 18 | Miller | 18 | Mottola | 8 | Miller | 4 | 10,250 | |
| Nov. 23 | Arizona State (1) | W | 65-48 | 2-1 | - - | Miller | 24 | House/Patton | 12 | Mottola | 6 | Jensen | 7 | 2,500 | |
| Nov. 24 | Indiana (1) | L | 52-49 | 2-2 | - - | Mottola | 17 | Guyton | 12 | Mottola | 6 | Miller | 4 | 2,500 | |
| Nov. 25 | Michigan (1) | W | 71-54 | 3-2 | - - | Mottola | 21 | Bullock | 25 | Mottola | 6 | Miller | 12 | 2,500 | |
| Dec. 2 | Rhode Island (2) | L | 70-63 | 3-3 | - - | Miller | 28 | Reynolds-Dean | 22 | Miller | 6 | Miller | 4 | 19,412 | |
| Dec. 5 | at Long Beach State | W | 61-54 | 4-3 | - - | Miller | 29 | Lloyd | 15 | Mottola | 12 | Miller | 3 | 3,536 | |
| Dec. 9 | WEBER STATE | W | 87-74 | 5-3 | - - | Miller | 19 | Arceneaux | 23 | Jensen | 8 | Jensen | 8 | 13,022 | |
| Dec. 12 | at Texas | L | 73-68 | 5-4 | - - | Mottola | 28 | Clack | 18 | Mottola | 8 | Miller | 4 | 6,035 | |
| Dec. 19 | LOYOLA MARYMOUNT | W | 89-55 | 6-4 | - - | Killion | 18 | Wolfe | 21 | Mottola | 8 | Miller | 8 | 13,080 | |
| Dec. 22 | SAINT FRANCIS | W | 74-49 | 7-4 | - - | Jensen | 16 | Krimmel | 10 | Jensen | 12 | Miller | 5 | 12,758 | |
| Dec. 28 | WAKE FOREST | W | 63-45 | 8-4 | - - | Mottola | 14 | Songaila | 15 | Mottola | 10 | Harvey | 6 | 15,276 | |
| Dec. 30 | HIGH POINT | W | 73-42 | 9-4 | - - | Mottola | 13 | Van Weedhuizen | 16 | Jensen | 8 | Jensen | 6 | 12,714 | |
| Jan. 2 | RIPON | W | 74-49 | 10-4 | - - | Miller | 16 | Van Dyken | 17 | Jensen | 11 | Miller | 6 | 12,868 | |
| Jan. 9 | * BRIGHAM YOUNG | W | 75-54 | 11-4 | 1-0 | Miller | 24 | Bigelow | 13 | Mottola | 9 | Miller | 6 | 15,298 | |
| Jan. 16 | * at San Diego State | W | 79-53 | 12-4 | 2-0 | Killion | 23 | Watts | 15 | Miller | 10 | Miller | 9 | 6,164 | |
| Jan. 18 | * at Hawaii | W | 60-46 | 13-4 | 3-0 | Miller | 17 | Robinson | 17 | Miller | 11 | Miller | 7 | 7,504 | |
| Jan. 23 | * SAN JOSE STATE | W | 70-54 | 14-4 | 4-0 | Mottola | 20 | Richmond | 22 | Mottola | 8 | Miller | 5 | 14,971 | |
| Jan. 25 | * FRESNO STATE | W | 87-74 | 15-4 | 5-0 | Mottola | 20 | Alexander | 20 | Jensen | 11 | Miller | 14 | 14,120 | |
| Jan. 30 | * at UTEP | W | 64-54 | 16-4 | 6-0 | Jensen | 22 | Fajardo | 12 | Jensen | 10 | Miller | 3 | 12,222 | |
| Feb. 1 | * at New Mexico | W | 57-39 | 17-4 | 7-0 | Mottola | 16 | Long | 17 | Jensen | 13 | Miller | 4 | 17,701 | |
| Feb. 6 | * at Brigham Young | W | 71-46 | 18-4 | 8-0 | Miller | 19 | Bigelow | 11 | Miller | 10 | Miller | 4 | 22,502 | |
| Feb. 11 | * SAN DIEGO STATE | W | 86-38 | 19-4 | 9-0 | Killion | 20 | Wilson | 10 | Jensen | 5 | Jensen | 7 | 13,295 | |
| Feb. 13 | * HAWAII | W | 82-55 | 20-4 | 10-0 | Mottola | 23 | Alexander | 17 | Cullen | 8 | Miller | 7 | 14,665 | |
| Feb. 18 | * at San Jose State | W | 71-49 | 21-4 | 11-0 | Harvey | 17 | Trawick | 14 | Jensen | 9 | Miller | 3 | 4,411 | |
| Feb. 20 | * at Fresno State | W | 88-82 | 22-4 | 12-0 | Mottola | 25 | Alexander | 37 | Jensen | 11 | Miller | 9 | 10,220 | |
| Feb. 25 | * UTEP | W | 75-70 | 23-4 | 13-0 | Miller | 17 | Fajardo | 22 | Jensen | 12 | Mottola | 5 | 15,283 | |
| Feb. 27 | * NEW MEXICO | W | 77-47 | 24-4 | 14-0 | Mottola | 20 | Thomas | 16 | Mottola | 10 | Miller | 11 | 15,290 | |
| Mar. 4 | Brigham Young (3) | W | 81-62 | 25-4 | - - | Miller | 19 | Rivers | 23 | Cullen | 7 | Jensen | 5 | 9,456 | |
| Mar. 5 | Tulsa (3) | W | 64-61 OT | 26-4 | - - | Jensen | 20 | Heard | 14 | Althoff | 7 | Miller | 7 | 9,456 | |
| Mar. 6 | New Mexico (3) | W | 60-45 | 27-4 | - - | Jensen | 18 | Henry | 13 | Jensen | 11 | Harvey | 5 | 10,767 | |
| Mar. 12 | Arkansas State (4) | W | 80-58 | 28-4 | - - | Mottola | 22 | Fletcher | 21 | Jensen | 11 | Miller | 4 | 19,639 | |
| Mar. 14 | Miami-Ohio (4) | L | 66-58 | 28-5 | - - | Miller | 20 | Szczerbiak | 24 | Harvey | 6 | Harvey | 5 | 20,102 | |
HOME GAME
*WAC Game
(1) Maui Invitational at Lahaina, Hawaii
(2) Great Eight at Chicago, Ill.
(3) WAC Tournament at Las Vegas, Nev.
(4) NCAA Tournament Midwest First and Second Rounds at New Orleans, La.
1998-99 Team Superlatives
| Utah High | Utah Low | Category | Opponent High | Opponent Low |
| 89 vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 49 vs. Indiana (Nov. 24) | Points Scored | 82 by Fresno St. (Feb. 20) | 38 by San Diego St. (Feb. 11) |
| 51 vs. Azusa Pacific (Nov. 14) | 23 vs. Indiana (Nov. 24) | Points/First Half | 42 by Fresno St. (Feb. 20) | 14 by High Point (Dec. 30) |
| 51 vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 23 vs. New Mexico (Feb. 1) | Points/Second Half | 41 by UTEP (Feb. 25) | 19 by San Diego St. (Feb. 11) |
| 35 vs. Azusa Pacific (Nov. 14) | 19 vs. Indiana (Nov. 24) | Field Goals | 29 by Fresno St. (Feb. 20) | 13 by Arizona St. (Nov. 23) |
| 72 vs. San Diego St. (Jan. 16) | 40 vs. Arizona St. (Nov. 23) | Field Goals Att. | 61 by Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 36 by Wake Forest (Dec. 28) |
| 70.0 vs. San Jose St. (Jan. 23) | 34.4 vs. Utah St. (Nov. 18) | Field Goal Pct. | 54.1 by San Jose St. (Jan. 23) | 25.0 by Arizona St. (Nov. 23) |
| 12 vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 0, Two Times | 3-Pt. Field Goals | 10 by Michigan (Nov. 25) | 0 by High Point (Dec. 30) |
| 34 vs. San Diego St. (Jan. 16) | 9 vs. San Jose St. (Jan. 23) | 3-Pt. Field Goals Att. | 24 by Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 7 by Indiana (Nov. 24) |
| 28 vs. Fresno St. (Feb. 20) | 4 vs. High Point (Dec. 30) | Free Throws | 20 by UTEP (Jan. 30) | 4 by San Diego St. (Jan. 16) |
| 38 vs. Long Beach St. (Dec. 5) | 5 vs. High Point (Dec. 30) | Free Throws Att. | 29 by Texas (Dec. 12) | 8 by Saint Francis (Dec. 22) |
| 90.0 vs. Ripon (Jan. 2) | 50.0 vs. Long Beach St. (Dec. 5) | Free Throw Pct. | 100.0 by Wake Forest (Dec. 28) | 40.0 by San Diego St. (Feb. 11) |
| 21 vs. Long Beach St. (Dec. 5) | 4 vs. Arizona St. (Nov. 23) | Offensive Rebounds | 15 by Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 2 by Ripon (Jan. 2) |
| 32 vs. Arizona St. (Nov. 23) | 13 vs. San Jose St. (Jan. 23) | Defensive Rebounds | 29 by Utah St. (Nov. 18) | 11 by Saint Francis (Dec. 22) |
| 45 vs. Long Beach St. (Dec.5) | 19 vs. San Jose St. (Jan. 23) | Total Rebounds | 39 by Tulsa (Mar. 5) | 16 by Ripon (Jan. 2) |
| 29 vs. Fresno St. (Jan. 25) | 9 vs. Long Beach St. (Dec. 5) | Assists | 21 by Fresno St. (Feb. 20) | 3 by UTEP (Jan. 30) |
| 9 vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 1 vs. Michigan (Nov. 25) | Turnovers | 20 by San Diego St. (Feb. 11) | 6 by Miami-Ohio (Mar. 14) |
| 9 vs. Loyola Marymount (Dec. 19) | 1 vs. Michigan (Nov. 25) | Blocked Shots | 7 by Fresno St. (Feb. 25) | 0 by Saint Francis (Dec. 22) |
| 12 vs. San Diego St. (Feb. 11) | 2 vs. UTEP (Jan. 30) | Steals | 13 by Weber St. (Dec. 9) | 1 by Utah St. (Nov. 18) |
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Former Runnin’ Ute Branden Carlson
Tuesday, May 19
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - College football analyst Yogi Roth
Wednesday, May 06
Utah Basketball Media Availability | 3.2.26
Monday, March 02
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Utah Basketball General Manager Wes Wilcox
Wednesday, February 25