Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Nevada [Exh] on October 17, 2025
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Utes Looking to Keep Momentum Going after NCAA Run
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
October 5, 1998
SALT LAKE CITY - The 1996-97 University of Utah Basketball team will be a tough act to follow. Last year's version of the Runnin' Utes made it to the NCAA Championship game, becoming the first Ute team since 1944 to advance that far in the NCAA Tournament. They were also the first University of Utah team since 1966 to make the "Final Four." The team also won their second straight WAC Mountain Division title, tied the school record for season wins with 30 and finished the year ranked second in the country in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
What do they do for an encore? The nucleus for the 1998-99 squad will be formed by returning starters, Andre Miller (6-2, 200), Hanno Mottola (6-10, 230) and Alex Jensen (6-9, 225). Miller may have been the best point guard in the country the last month of the season as he directed the Utes on their NCAA run. For the six games in the NCAA Tournament Miller averaged 16.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.0 steals a game. He also put together the first triple double in an NCAA Game since the Magic Johnson era when he totaled 18 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists in the Utes West Regional Championship victory over Arizona. On the season Miller averaged 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. Miller was named the MVP in the NCAA West Region and was also selected to the Final Four All-Tournament team. He was also a third team All-America choice by the USBWA as well as being named District Player of the Year. He was also named first-team all-WAC and a member of the all-WAC Defensive team. Miller, who was a non-qualifier as a freshman, graduated in June and thus was able to become one of the first athletes to take advantage of a new NCAA rule offering non-qualifiers and extra year of eligibility if they graduate in four years.
Mottola and Jensen were also heavy contributors to the Utes' successful season. Mottola finished third on the team in scoring averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Jensen averaged 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing. Both gained valuable front line experience and, along with Miller, will be the mainstays of this years squad. Letterman Nate Althoff (6-11, 245) will be counted on to help fill the void at center left by the graduation of Michael Doleac. Redshirt Adam Sharp (6-2, 178) will also get a chance to show what he can do in the backcourt.
Seven incoming players will join the Utes this season. Junior college transfers Tony Harvey (6-6, 205) from Cerritos Junior College and Jeremy Killion (6-1, 195) from Palomar J.C. will help bring some maturity to the new arrivals. Harvey is an outstanding defensive player who can score and rebound while Killion, an excellent outside shooter, will help give the Utes an outside scoring threat. Freshmen Brad Crockett (6-6, 205) from Centerville, Utah, Phil Cullen (6-10, 200) from Chelan, Washington, Ben Heusser (6-0, 195) from Preston, Idaho and Tyson Johnston (6-11, 227) from Steamboat Springs, Colorado are all very talented but will have a lot to learn. Shane Willis (6-0, 200) is an excellent point guard who played his freshman season at Hawaii before serving a two-year church mission.
Besides the loss of Doleac the Utes lose the services of Drew Hansen who started at the off guard. Taking a two-year break from basketball are Britton Johnsen, Trace Caton and Jon Carlisle, all freshmen last season. The trio will be leaving for church missions this summer.
With so many newcomers in the program Ute coach Rick Majerus and his staff will have a heavy teaching load during pre-season practice. The Utes, however, will continue to play outstanding defense (they are always among the nation's leaders), rebound (they led the nation in rebound margin last season) and play smart. This recipe for success has helped Majerus win 78 percent of his games at Utah and should keep the Utes among the nation's top collegiate hoop teams.
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