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
Utah Looks To Rebound Against San Diego State
2/7/2000 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 7, 2000
Utah Utes (17-4, 6-1 MWC)
vs.
San Diego State Aztecs (5-15, 0-7 MWC)
Feb. 10, 7:37 p.m. (MST)
Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000)
Salt Lake City
The Game at a Glance
Television: KJZZ-TV (Channel 14, Cable 3) in Salt Lake City. Steve Brown (play-by-play) and Thurl Bailey (analyst).
Radio: Utah Sports Network (570 K-NEWS in Salt Lake City and affiliate stations). On the Internet at www.UtahUtes.com. Bill Marcroft (play-by-play), Jeff Jonas (analyst) and Brad Stone (host).
Rankings: Utah is 20th in the A.P. poll and 19th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Series Record: Utah leads the all-time series with San Diego State 37-8.
Utah's Record Home/Away/Neutral: 20-1/14-6/3-1
Last Meeting: The Utes defeated the Aztecs 70-55 on Jan. 10 in San Diego, Calif.
Majerus vs. San Diego State Overall: 17-1 At Utah: 17-1
Utah Probable Starters
| No. | Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Ppg | Rpg | Hometown | |
| 50 | F | Alex Jensen | 6-7 | 225 | Sr. | 15.0 | 7.7 | Centerville, Utah | |
| F | - TBA - | ||||||||
| 52 | C | Nate Althoff | 6-11 | 260 | Jr. | 9.1 | 4.6 | Delano, Minn. | |
| 3 | G | Gary Colbert | 6-1 | 175 | So. | 4.2 | 2.7 | Alta Loma, Calif. | |
| 32 | G | Jeremy Killion | 5-11 | 190 | Sr. | 9.4 | 1.8 | San Diego, Calif. |
Utah Off the Bench
| No. | Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Ppg | Rpg | Hometown | |
| 4 | G | Adam Sharp | 6-2 | 180 | So. | 1.6 | 0.7 | Salt Lake City | |
| 5 | G/F | Tony Harvey | 6-5 | 200 | Sr. | 8.9 | 2.1 | Carson, Calif. | |
| 15 | F | Nick Jacobson | 6-3 | 185 | Fr. | 0.0 | 0.0 | Roseville, Minn. | |
| 25 | G | Brandon Sluga | 6-4 | 210 | Sr. | 0.8 | 0.0 | Taylorsville, Utah | |
| 35 | F | Jeff Johnsen | 6-4 | 200 | So. | 6.3 | 3.7 | Murray, Utah | |
| 40 | F/C | Phil Cullen | 6-9 | 215 | So. | 5.1 | 2.1 | Chelan, Wash. | |
| 42 | F | Mike Puzey | 6-8 | 215 | Fr. | 1.9 | 2.0 | Roy, Utah |
| Utah Coach: Rick Majerus | San Diego State Coach: Steve Fisher |
| Alma Mater: Marquette '70 | Alma Mater: Illinois State '67 |
| Record at Utah: 255-68/11th Season | Record at SDSU: 5-15/1st Season |
| Overall Record: 354-120/16th Season | Overall Record: 189-97/10th Season |
San Diego State Probable Starters
| No. | Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Ppg | Rpg | Hometown | |
| 32 | F | Michael Marion | 6-6 | 190 | Jr. | 6.7 | 2.5 | Portland, Ore. | |
| 33 | F | Myron Epps | 6-6 | 210 | So. | 14.8 | 6.0 | Tulare, Calif. | |
| 42 | C | Marcelo Correa | 6-10 | 220 | Jr. | 10.6 | 6.3 | Franca, Brazil | |
| 4 | G | Donte Wilson | 6-3 | 175 | Sr. | 4.9 | 1.8 | McKinney, Texas | |
| 5 | G | Bradley Jackson | 5-10 | 165 | Fr. | 7.7 | 3.0 | Inglewood, Calif. |
Coming Up
Utah faces in-state rival Brigham Young on Saturday at 7:07 p.m. (MST) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
A Quick Look at Utah
The Runnin' Utes are 17-4 overall and in sole possession of first place in Mountain West Conference with a 6-1 record. Utah had won 15 of its last 16 and six in a row before losing to UNLV 72-66 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
After sitting out the first eight games of the season with a knee injury, senior 6-9 forward Hanno M?tt?l? is leading the Utes in scoring average (17.5 ppg) and is second in rebounding (5.2 rpg). Senior 6-7 forward Alex Jensen is second on the team in scoring average (15.0 ppg) and is tops in rebounding (7.7 rpg). Jensen is also shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 50.7 percent from three-point range. Senior 5-11 guard Jeremy Killion is third on the team in scoring (9.4 ppg) while shooting 40.9 percent from three-point range. Junior 6-11 center Nate Althoff is fourth in scoring (9.1 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg). Sophomore 6-1 guard Gary Colbert leads the team in assists (3.5 apg).
Utah is outscoring the opposition 71.3 to 60.8 points per game and has a 32.6 to 28.4 edge in rebounding. The Utes are shooting 49.2 percent from the field, 41.0 percent from three-point range and 71.0 percent from the free throw line.
From the Training Room: M?tt?l? Out Indefinitely
Ute senior 6-9 forward Hanno M?tt?l?, who has been suffering from a left elbow sprain and a sprained right thumb, will not play Thursday against San Diego State and is out indefinitely, according to team trainer Trevor Jameson.
The Utah medical staff is awaiting results from further tests before it will determine when M?tt?l? can return to action. However, there is a distinct possibility that upon further MRI's, diagnostic tests and consultation from at least two more physicians that M?tt?l? could be out for the remainder of the year. The medical staff will not be able determine this until at least Thursday. If M?tt?l? does return, it will be on a limited, game-to-game basis. M?tt?l?'s injury could be season ending but not career ending since it can be surgically repaired. At the appropriate time, a determination will be made if surgery is necessary.
M?tt?l? suffered the thumb injury in the first half and the elbow injury in the second half of Utah's game at Air Force on Jan. 29. He came back to finish the game and remained in the lineup for Utah's games against New Mexico and UNLV last week.
The Nation's Most Dominant Team in League Play the Last Five Years
As the Utes moved from the WAC into the Mountain West Conference, they took three impressive records with them. Utah's conference record over the past six years en route to a 6-1 start this season and five straight regular-season titles is 77-10 (.885), which is the best mark over that period of time in NCAA Division I. Utah is also the nation's most dominant team in conference games at home the past six years with a 43-1 (.977) record.
After a win over New Mexico on Jan. 31, the Utes have won 33 consecutive league games at home, which is the nation's longest current streak. Kansas had a string of 44 consecutive conference home wins snapped by Nebraska on Feb. 10, 1999. Utah's last home conference loss was to Fresno State (65-64) on Jan. 8, 1996.
Before its 72-66 loss to UNLV on Feb. 5, Utah had won 25 consecutive regular-season conference games since a 62-56 loss at Wyoming on Feb. 12, 1998. The Utes had also won 23 consecutive conference games overall following a 54-51 loss to UNLV on March 5, 1998 in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament. For the first time in the history of the WAC, Utah won all 14 regular season games and all three games in the conference tournament last season. The Utes won their first six league games this season.
Utah has not lost back-to-back conference games since the 1993-94 season when it lost to Colorado State (74-69) on Feb. 3 and Wyoming (60-55) on Feb. 5 on the road.
Utah to Retire Andre Miller's Jersey on Thursday
Andre Miller, a two-time All-American at the University of Utah, will be honored with the retirement of his No. 24 jersey when the Utes host San Diego State on Thursday night at 7:37 p.m. in the Huntsman Center. Miller's No. 24 will join Billy McGill's No. 12, Arnie Ferrin's No. 22, Danny Vranes' No. 23, Vern Gardner's No. 33 and Keith Van Horn's No. 44 as the only retired jerseys in Runnin' Ute history.
Miller finished his career at Utah first in steals (254), second in assists (721) and 10th in scoring (1,618 points). As a senior, Miller was named the Basketball Weekly National Player of the Year, as well as Utah's fifth consensus All-American all-time and second since 1962. He was also a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year awards. His junior year, Miller was named third team All-America, leading the Utes to a national runner-up finish. He made the Final Four all-tournament team and was one of 10 finalists for USBWA Player of the Year.
Miller earned first team all-conference honors as a junior and senior. He was also the recipient of the 1998-99 Joe Kearney Award as the male athlete of the year in the Western Athletic Conference.
Miller was selected eighth overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1999 NBA Draft. Recently, he was one of 16 first- and second-year players selected to play in the Schick Rookie Challenge on NBA All-Star Saturday, Feb. 12 in Oakland, Calif.
Utah vs. San Diego State Notes
Scouting the Aztecs
San Diego State is 5-15 overall and in eighth place in the Mountain West Conference standings with an 0-7 record. Last week at home, the Aztecs fell to Brigham Young 72-50 on Thursday and and New Mexico 78-57 on Saturday.
Sophomore 6-0 forward Myron Epps ranks 10th in the conference in scoring (14.8 ppg) and is second on the team in rebounding (6.0 rpg). He is also averaging 18.4 points per game in league play. Junior 6-10 center Marcelo Correa ranks 18th in the MWC in scoring (10.6 ppg) and is tied for sixth in rebounds (6.3 rpg). Freshman 5-10 guard Bradley Jackson is third on the team in scoring (7.7 ppg) and leads the Aztecs in assists (3.8 apg).
The Aztecs ranks eighth in the Mountain West in scoring (54.4 ppg), sixth in scoring defense (75.0) and eighth in rebound margin (-5.8 rpg). San Diego State is shooting 41.3 percent from the field, 28.4 percent from three-point range and 70.1 percent from the free throw line.
Series Notes
Utah won both games over San Diego State last season by an average of 37 points when the Aztecs were coached by Fred Trenkle. The Utes defeated the Aztecs 79-53 on Jan. 16, 1999 in San Diego and 86-38 on Feb. 11, 1999 in Salt Lake City. Utah has won the last nine games in the series and has taken 23 of the last 25 meetings. The Aztecs' last win over the Utes was 76-73 on Jan. 22, 1994 in San Diego.
A Match-Up of Two Great Coaches
Two of the top college basketball coaches of the last decade meet for the fourth time on Thursday. Rick Majerus led Utah to a 238-64 record (.788), one NCAA Final Four and seven NCAA Tournament appearances from 1989-99. Steve Fisher led Michigan to a 184-82 record (.691), three NCAA Final Fours and eight trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1989-97. As the interim head coach in 1989, Fisher went 6-0 to lead the Wolverines to the NCAA title.
Fisher took the first two meetings between himself and Majerus. Utah lost to Michigan, 81-65, on Dec. 1, 1990 in Ann Arbor, Mich., in Majerus' first full season at Utah after coaching just six games during the 1989-90 season due to heart surgery. The two coaches met again on Nov. 23, 1994 in the Maui Invitational with the Wolverines defeating the Utes, 73-69.
Last Meeting
Junior center Nate Althoff scored a career-high 20 points and the Utes used a 26-5 run toward a 70-55 win over San Diego State in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams on Jan. 10 in San Diego.
The Utes had no trouble getting their ninth straight win over the Aztecs, even though leading scorer Hanno M?tt?l? sat out more than 14 minutes of the second half with foul trouble. He finished with just four points. Alex Jensen scored 18.
Utah's biggest lead in the game was 25 points following its 26-5 run that spanned halftime. Althoff had two three-point plays and a field goal as Utah went from 18-14 ahead to 37-19 at halftime, including scoring the last five points of the half. The Utes then scored the first seven points of the second half, taking a 44-19 lead following a three-point shot and a layup by Jensen and two free throws by Althoff. The closest the Aztecs got the rest of the way was 54-43 with 8:22 left following back-to-back shots by Danny Abramowitz, including a three-pointer. Myron Epps scored 16 for San Diego State and Marcelo Correa had 13.
Althoff had a perfect shooting night, going 8-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line, and 7 rebounds in 29 minutes against SDSU.
Utah outshot the Aztecs 52.1-38.0 percent from the field but made just 8-of-22 three-pointers. The Utes also had a 32-26 advantage on the boards. Majerus improved 17-1 against San Diego State since taking over at Utah before the 1989-90 season.
Utah vs. Brigham Young Preview
Scouting the Cougars
The Cougars are 15-5 overall and tied for third place in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-3 mark entering Saturday's game with the Utes. Brigham Young concluded the first half of its league schedule with a 72-50 win at San Diego State last Thursday. Junior 6-9 forward Mekeli Wesley is tied for third in the MWC in scoring (18.0 ppg) and tied for sixth in rebounds (6.2 rpg). Junior 6-3 guard Terrell Lyday, a transfer from Fresno Community College, is sixth in the league in scoring (17.0 ppg) and is shooting 41.9 percent (44-of-105) from three-point range. Sophomore 6-4 guard Michael Vranes is third on the roster in scoring (7.9 ppg).
Brigham Young ranks 21st in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage (38.8). The Cougars also rank third in the Mountain West in scoring (72.1 ppg), second in scoring defense (63.2 ppg) and first in field goal percentage defense (38.1). Brigham Young is shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 70.9 percent from the free throw line.
Series Notes
After a 56-49 win over Brigham Young on Jan. 15 in Provo, Utah drew even in the series, 113-113, with its oldest rival. Utah has a 66-46 advantage in games played in Salt Lake City. Dating back to 1995, Utah has won 11 consecutive games over BYU, which is the longest winning streak by any team in the series. Before Utah's recent run, the Cougars had won 8 of 10 dating back to the 1991 WAC Tournament. Alex Jensen, who was a freshman in 1994 before serving an LDS church mission, is the only Utah player who has lost to BYU.
Utah swept the regular-season series from Brigham Young last year, winning 75-54 on Jan. 9 in Salt Lake City and 71-46 on Feb. 6 in Provo, Utah. The teams also met in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament on March 4 in Las Vegas, Nev., with Utah winning 81-62.
Noting the Utes
Game #21 Rewind
Kaspars Kambala had 20 points and 11 rebounds as UNLV beat a ranked team for the first time this season, downing No. 19 Utah 72-66 Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Alex Jensen led Utah (17-4, 6-1 MWC) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Hanno M?tt?l? added 16 points and nine boards. Tony Harvey, with another fine performance off the bench, scored 12 points on a 5-for-10 effort from the field and a 2-for-3 night from three-point range.
Mark Dickel scored 18 points, six assists and four steals for the Rebels (14-5, 5-2 MWC). He also scored seven of UNLV's final 10 points. Freshman Dalron Johnson had 17 points.
Utah, which has suffered all four of its losses on the road, trailed most of the game and was down by 11 early in the second half. However the Utes used a 15-6 run to tie it at 55 and then drew even again at 61 with 5:57 remaining. The Rebels didn't get a basket the rest of the game, and made only 11-of-20 free throws in that span. Still, it was enough as the Utes could only muster a Jensen three-pointer with 1:33 to play and a late field goal from Jeff Johnsen. Utah turned the ball over three times and missed four shots in the final five minutes.
The Rebels led 39-31 at halftime. Johnson had 13 points, including nine in a 13-point run midway through the first half.
Odd and Ends
- Utah had its worst shooting game of the season against UNLV on Feb. 5, converting just 38.2 percent (21-of-55) from the field and 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from three-point range.
- Utah shot a season-best 62.8 percent (27-of-43) from the field against Air Force on Jan. 29, helped by a 72.7 percent effort (16-of-22) in the second half. The Utes accomplished this while attempting a season-low 11 three-pointers.
- The Utes broke out of a shooting slump with a 52.5 percent effort from the field (21-of-40) and 52.9 percent night from three-point range (9-of-17) against Colorado State on Jan. 24. Before that game, Utah had not shot above 53 percent from the field for five games or above 53 percent from three-point range for six games.
- Utah has shot 50 percent or better from three-point range in six games this season: Stony Brook (50.0), Utah State (66.7), Washington State (50.0), Chicago State (52.4), Oregon State (60.0) and Colorado State on Jan. 24 (52.9).
- Utah has shot 52 percent or better from the field in nine games this season.
- Three Utes have shot over half of their field goals from three-point range. Jeremy Killion has taken 88 of his 146 attempts, Tony Harvey has shot 68 of 135 and Phil Cullen has attempted 51 of 93 field goals from beyond the arc. Alex Jensen has taken over one-third of his field goal attempts from three-point range (75 of 181).
- Utah's 20-point loss at Louisville was its worst since suffering a 101-70 loss to Kentucky in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on Mar. 21, 1996. The Utes have not lost a game by more than 16 points (87-71 at New Mexico on Feb. 1, 1997) since then. Utah has lost just three games by 20 points or more during Rick Majerus' 11-year tenure.
- With its win over San Diego State, Utah improved to 27-11 in conference openers (16-3 home/11-8 road) since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1962.
- Oregon State shot 55.6 percent (30-of-54) against the Utes on Dec. 28, the highest percentage by a Utah opponent this season. Texas had the second-best shooting night by an opponent this season, making 55.1 percent (27-of-49) of its field goals.
- Eleven players have started for the Utes this season in eight different lineups. Utah has used the same lineup for six of the last seven games (Jensen, M?tt?l?, Althoff, Colbert, Killion) and has lost just once with that combination.
- The Utes have scored above 80 points three times this season with 84 in their win over Chicago State on Dec. 18, 87 in their victory against Oregon State on Dec. 28 and 82 in a win against New Mexico on Jan. 31. All three games were played at home.
- Utah has held three opponents below 50 points and 11 opponents below 60 points this season.
- Utah surrendered a season-low 42 points in its 35-point win over Utah State on Dec. 7. The Utes also gave up a season-low shooting night to USU, allowing the Aggies to shoot just 30.8 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three-point range.
Rick's Remarks
On Playing San Diego State -
"They gave a very good effort against us at their place. (Myron) Epps is an excellent inside player and ranks among the top scorers in the conference. (David) Abramowitz also hurt us the last time we played them. He did a nice job of moving behind picks and he shot the basketball very well. (Marcelo) Correa also did a good job against us, and we've got to find a way to get him off the glass."
In the Polls
Utah decended one spot to No. 20 in the USA Today/ESPN poll released on Feb. 6 and fell two places to No. 21 in Associated Press poll released on Feb. 7. Utah has been ranked in at least one of the national Top 25 polls for 21 consecutive weeks, dating back to last season. The Utes were out of the A.P. Top 25 poll for one week before climbing back in on Jan. 17. Utah has been ranked 17 out of the last 21 weeks by A.P.
Utah had been ranked in the national polls every week since early in the 1994-95 season before falling out in December of 1998. Utah has finished among the top 10 teams in the nation three consecutive years.
An Efficient Attack With Long-Strike Capability
Utah ranks fourth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (41.0) as of Feb. 6. As a result of their marksmanship from long range, the Utes are also tied for ninth in the nation in overall field goal percentage (49.2).
Never before has one of Majerus' Utah teams been one of the top five three-point shooting ball clubs in the nation. The previous best three-point shooting team during Majerus' 11-year tenure at Utah was in 1993, when the Utes finished 10th (41.0 percent) in the NCAA rankings.
However, running an efficient offense is nothing new at the U. Traditionally propelled by a strong inside game, the Utes have finished the season ranked in the top 25 in the nation in field goal percentage the last five consecutive years and six times overall during the Majerus era. Utah ranked 13th in the NCAA in field goal percentage (47.4) in 1998-99 and was fifth in 1996-97 (49.6).
This season, Utah shot 50 percent or better from three-point range in four of six games from Dec. 7 through Dec. 28. The "Gunnin'" Utes tied a school record with 14 three-pointers against both Utah State (Dec. 7) and Washington State (Dec. 11). Against Utah State, Utah shot 73 percent (11-of-15) from three-point range in the first half, breaking the school record of 10 three-pointers in a half set in 1993 and 1995, both times against Fresno State. The Utes continued their hot shooting by going 12-of-20 (60.0%) from downtown against Oregon State on Dec. 28.
However, the Utes did not shot better than 41.2 percent from three-point range in its next six games, shooting a combined 34-for-105 (32.4%) from behind the arc during that stretch. Utah broke out of its slump by making 52.9 percent of its three-point tries (9-of-17) against Colorado State on Jan. 24. The Utes had another tough shooting night against UNLV on Feb. 5, shooting a season-low mark of 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from three-point range.
Awesome Alex
Senior forward Alex Jensen (6-7, 225) has started all 88 games since the start of the 1997-98 season after returning from a two-year LDS church mission. A preseason all-Mountain West Conference selection, Jensen has lived up to his billing. During the conference season, Jensen ranks third among the league players in scoring (18.0 ppg), first in field goal percentage (65.6), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (50.0) and tied for first in rebounding (9.4 rpg). In seven conference games, he has led the Utes four times in scoring, six times in rebounding and twice in assists.
On the season, Jensen has Utah's second-best scoring average (15.0 ppg), shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 50.7 percent from three-point range to rank 12th in the nation. He is the team's top rebounder (7.7 rpg). Jensen has led Utah seven times in scoring, 15 times in rebounds and six times in assists this season. He has also scored in double figures in all but three games - including four 20-point performances - and has had seven rebounds or more in 13 games.
Jensen had his second consecutive double-double and his fourth of the season with team-highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds at UNLV on Feb. 5. He went 5-of-8 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line in 37 minutes. Also last week, Jensen had a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds against New Mexico on Jan. 31. He went 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point range and 8-of-11 from the free throw line, and had three assists in 38 minutes against the Lobos. In another recent game, he had 20 points - shooting 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point range and 2-of-4 from the free throw line - and 9 rebounds in 37 minutes at Air Force on Jan. 29. The Centerville, Utah, native had a season-best 14 rebounds against Wyoming on Jan. 22 and made a career-best nine three-pointers against Augusta State on Dec. 3. Jensen is also an excellent defensive player who can defend all five positions on the floor and has excelled in the role as the team's defensive stopper.
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. His triple-double of 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Fresno State on Jan. 25, 1999 was only the second in the 31-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 Enters 1,000 Point/800 Rebound Club
With 12 rebounds against New Mexico on Jan. 31, senior forward Alex Jensen became the ninth Ute all-time and the fourth under Rick Majerus to record 1,000 points and 800 rebounds during his career. Jensen currently has 1,174 career points and 817 career rebounds. The Centerville, Utah, native became the 28th Ute to surpass the 1,000-point plateau with 10 points against Oregon State on Dec. 28. Jensen currently ranks 21st in career scoring, ninth in total rebounds, second in offensive rebounds (308) and fifth in defensive rebounds (509) at the U.
Mentioning M?tt?l?
Hanno M?tt?l? was rated among the top players in college basketball during the preseason. Playboy magazine selected M?tt?l? to their 10-player All-America team. He was also named one of the early finalists for the Wooden and Naismith National Player of the Year awards. Basketball News named M?tt?l? as the 12th-best inside-outer in college basketball. The Mountain West Conference media selected M?tt?l? as the preseason player of the year, while both the media and coaches placed him on the preseason all-conference team.
M?tt?l?'s Return
After missing the first eight games of the season with a partial medial collateral tear in his left knee, senior forward Hanno M?tt?l? (6-9, 250) quickly made his presence known after returning to the line-up. He led the Utes in scoring in eight of the 13 games since his return, averaging 17.5 points per game.
In a five game stretch from Dec. 22-Jan. 6, he scored 131 points in 152 minutes, shooting 45-of-72 from the field and 9-of-14 from three-point range. M?tt?l? had a double-double with a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds against Texas on Dec. 22. He also made a personal-best 12 field goals in 21 attempts in that game. He had a double-double with 20 points, making 6-of-10 field goals, and 10 rebounds against Southern Utah on Jan. 1. For his efforts, he was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week (Dec. 21-Jan. 2) on Jan. 3. M?tt?l? closed out his hot streak with a game-high 27 points - making 8-of-12 field goals, 2-of-3 three-pointers and 9-of-12 free throws - in 31 minutes at Louisville on Jan. 6.
M?tt?l? would rank fifth in the conference in scoring if he had played enough games to qualify. The Mountain West and NCAA statistics requirement is 75 percent of games played.
M?tt?l? 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. As a junior, the Helsinki, Finland, native 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. M?tt?l? 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.
M?tt?l? ranks high in several career statistical categories at the U. He is 17th all-time in scoring (1,362), seventh in defensive rebounds (353), eighth in offensive boards (164) and 10th place in blocked shots (46).
Let's Hear It For Harvey
Senior guard/forward Tony Harvey (6-5, 200) has become one of the top reserves in the Mountain West Conference. Harvey has scored in double figures in five of the seven league games - including four in a row. Harvey got a season-best 14 points while making 4-of-7 field goals, 1-of-2 three-pointers and 5-of-8 free throws in 26 minutes off the bench against New Mexico on Jan. 31. He also came off the bench to get 12 points (5-of-10 FG, 2-of-3 3-FG), four rebounds and three steals in 23 minutes. During the conference season, the Carson, Calif., native is averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field overall and 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from three-point range.
Defense, Defense, Defense
One of the trademarks of a Rick Majerus coached team is a stifling half-court defense. In the last 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.
Through 21 games this season, Utah has given up an average of 60.8 points per game to rank 18th in the nation in scoring defense as of Feb. 6. The Utes have also outscored the opposition by an average of 10.5 points per game. Utah's opponents are shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three-point range.
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.
Utes Lead the Nation with 48-Game Home Winning Streak
Utah retained the longest active homecourt winning streak in NCAA Division I with an 82-70 win over New Mexico on Jan. 31. The Utes have won 48 straight in the Jon M. Huntsman Center dating back to a Dec. 31, 1996 loss to Wake Forest. Utah's current streak began with an 84-63 win over Colorado State on Jan. 4, 1997. It is also the longest homecourt winning streak in school history. Duke currently ranks second (46) and Cincinnati is third (41) among NCAA Division I's current active homecourt winning streaks.
The Utes are 13-0 at home this season. Utah went 14-0 at home in 1998-99 to post the sixth undefeated home season in the 31-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 142-10 (.934) 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. Combining the two lengthy streaks and 13 wins sandwiched in between the two losses, Utah has won 88 of its last 90 games played in the Huntsman Center.
Getting Defensive in the Mountain West
Although the Utes don't rank among the top teams in the nation in rebound margin this season, they have continued to be a dominant team on the boards in league play. Utah has not been outrebounded in 40 consecutive conference games, including the first seven games this season. The last time the Utes faced a deficit on the boards in league play was 32-27 in a WAC contest at Tulsa on Feb. 22, 1997. In the Mountain West conference this season, Utah ranks second in rebound margin with 4.2 rpg edge over the course of the entire season and a 5.1 rpg advantage in league games.
Utah cranked it up defensively to start the conference season. Utah's first three Mountain West Conference opponents shot just 38.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range combined. The Utes held San Diego State to 38.0 percent field goal shooting (19-of-50) on Jan. 10, BYU to 40.0 percent field goal shooting (16-of-40) on Jan. 15 and Wyoming to a 39.0 percent effort from the field (23-of-59) on Jan. 22. BYU's 40 field goal attempts was the lowest by a Ute opponent this season. The Utes also held BYU without a field goal for the final 7:50 and Wyoming scoreless for the final 2:42 to seal victories.
Runnin' Utes Enjoy Another Successful Semester in the Classroom
Six members of the Utah basketball team were named to the academic honor roll for the 1999 fall semester. Starter Hanno M?tt?l? (economics), a second team GTE Academic All-American in 1998-99, heads the list. Reserves Jeff Johnsen (pre-communications), Mike Puzey (pre-physical therapy), Adam Sharp (finance) and Brandon Sluga (exercise and sports science), as well as transfer Chris Burgess (pre-communications) also made the honor roll.
Just short of meeting honor roll criteria were seniors Alex Jensen (finance) and Jeremy Killion (communications). All four seniors are on track to graduate. Killion and M?tt?l? are expected to receive their degrees in May, while Jensen is on pace to finish during the summer semester. M?tt?l? has been nominated for Academic All-America honors once again. He is a strong candidate to become the fourth Academic All-American during Rick Majerus' 11-year tenure at the U.
Majerus has had 19 players make the honor roll a combined 114 times during his tenure.
Majerus Records 350th Career Victory
Head coach Rick Majerus captured his 350th career win with a 56-49 victory at Brigham Young on Jan. 15. Majerus' career mark is 354-120 in 16 seasons. He also has a 255-68 record in 11 seasons at Utah.
Only four coaches in the history of college basketball have won 350 games in fewer seasons than Majerus. Nolan Richardson (Tulsa/Arkansas), Denny Crum (Louisville), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and John Thompson (Georgetown) reached the 350 career wins plateau in 15 seasons. Jerry Tarkanian (Long Beach State/UNLV), Billy Tubbs (Southwest Texas State/Lamar/Oklahoma), Bob Huggins (Walsh/Akron/Cincinnati) and Everett Case (North Carolina State) also posted their 350th career win during their 16th season.
Majerus became just the third coach at the U. to win 250 games with Utah's 70-55 win at San Diego State on Jan. 10. Vadal Peterson went 385-230 from 1927-53 and Jack Gardner, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, went 339-154 from 1953-71.
Majerus Named to Wisconsin's Best of the 20th Century
Runnin' Ute head coach Rick Majerus was honored as one of the "Best of the 20th Century" in his home state of Wisconsin by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The Sheboygan, Wis., native was one of 10 individuals listed under Top Coaches/Managers. Ranked seventh on the list, Majerus was joined by Curly Lambeau, D. Wayne Lucas, Bud Grant and Marv Harshman.
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.
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.
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.
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 c
Utes in the Mountain West Conference/NCAA Stats
Team
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | |
| Scoring Offense | 71.3 | 5th | |
| Scoring Defense | 60.8 | 1st | 18th |
| Scoring Margin | +10.5 | 1st | |
| FG Percentage | .492 | 1st | |
| FG Pct. Defense | .431 | 3rd | 9th |
| FT Percentage | .710 | 2nd | |
| Reb. Offense | 32.6 | 6th | |
| Reb. Defense | 28.4 | 1st | |
| Rebound Margin | +4.5 | 2nd | |
| 3 Pt. FG/Game | 7.29 | 3rd | |
| 3 Pt. Percentage | .410 | 2nd | 4th |
| 3 Pt. FG Pct. Defense | .347 | 6th | |
| Assists | 16.29 | 3rd | |
| Turnover Margin | -0.14 | 7th | |
| Assists/TO Ratio | 1.16 | 2nd | |
| Steals | 6.48 | 8th | |
| Blocked Shots | 2.67 | 5th |
Individuals
Nate Althoff
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | ||
| Scoring | 9.1 | 22nd | ||
| Rebounds | 4.6 | 16th | ||
| Field Goal Pct. | .577 | 2nd | ||
| Free Throw Pct. | .756 | 8th | ||
| Blocked Shots | 0.94 | 8th |
Gary Colbert
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | ||
| Assists | 3.45 | 8th | ||
| Assists/TO Ratio | 1.38 | 4th |
Tony Harvey
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | ||
| Scoring | 8.9 | 23rd | ||
| 3 Pt. FG Pct. | .397 | 11th | ||
| Free Throw Pct. | .783 | 4th | ||
| Assists | 2.86 | 11th |
Alex Jensen
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | ||
| Scoring | 15.0 | 9th | ||
| Rebounds | 7.7 | 4th | ||
| Field Goal Pct. | .586 | 1st | ||
| Free Throw Pct. | .744 | 11th | ||
| Assists | 2.90 | 10th | ||
| 3 Pt. FG Pct. | .507 | 1st | 12th | |
| 3 Pt. FG Made | 1.81 | 8th |
Jeremy Killion
| (As of Feb. 6) | MWC | NCAA | ||
| Scoring | 9.4 | 21st | ||
| 3 Pt. FG Pct. | .409 | 10th | ||
| 3 Pt. FG Made | 1.71 | 11th | ||
Utah in the Polls
| Associated Press | USA Today/ESPN | ||
| 1. Cincinnati (63) | 1. Cincinnati (27) | ||
| 2. Stanford (4) | 2. Stanford (2) | ||
| 3. Duke (1) | 3. Duke | ||
| 4. Syracuse (2) | 4. Syracuse (2) | ||
| 5. Ohio State | 5. Michigan State | ||
| 6. Michigan State | 6. Ohio State | ||
| 7. Arizona | 7. Arizona | ||
| 8. Tennessee | 8. Auburn | ||
| 9. Auburn | 9. Tennessee | ||
| 10. Indiana | 10. Indiana | ||
| 11. Kentucky | 11. Florida | ||
| 12. Florida | 12. Connecticut | ||
| 13. Connecticut | 13. Oklahoma State | ||
| 14. Oklahoma State | 14. Kentucky | ||
| 15. Tulsa | 15. Tulsa | ||
| 16. Oklahoma | 16. Texas | ||
| 17. Iowa State | 17. Oklahoma | ||
| 18. Texas | 18. Kansas | ||
| 19. Temple | 19. Temple | ||
| 20. Kansas | 20. UTAH | ||
| 21. UTAH | 21. Iowa State | ||
| 22. Vanderbilt | 22. Maryland | ||
| 23. Maryland | 23. Vanderbilt | ||
| 24. Oregon | 24. N. Carolina St | ||
| 25. LSU | 25. LSU |
1999-2000 Standings
| (As of Feb. 6) | Conf. | Pct. | Overall | Pct. |
| 1.UTAH | 6-1 | .857 | 17-4 | .810 |
| 2.UNLV | 5-2 | .714 | 14-5 | .737 |
| 3.BYU | 4-3 | .571 | 15-5 | .750 |
| New Mexico | 4-3 | .571 | 12-10 | .545 |
| 7.Colorado State | 3-4 | .429 | 13-8 | .619 |
| Wyoming | 3-4 | .429 | 13-9 | .591 |
| 6.Air Force | 3-4 | .429 | 7-12 | .368 |
| 8.San Diego State | 0-7 | .000 | 5-15 | .250 |
This Week's Schedule
February 7 (Monday)
Creighton at Colorado State, 10:04 p.m. (ESPN)
February 10 (Thursday)
Air Force at Denver, TBA
*Colorado State at UNLV, 7:35 p.m.
*San Diego State at Utah, 7:35 p.m. (KJZZ-TV)
February 12 (Saturday)
*New Mexico at Air Force, 1:04 p.m. (ESPN+Plus)
*BYU at Utah, 7:00 p.m. ((KJZZ-TV)
*Colorado State at San Diego State, 7:00 p.m.
*Wyoming at UNLV, 7:35 p.m.
Last Week's Results
January 31 (Monday)
*Wyoming 109, UNLV 98
*Utah 82, New Mexico 70
February 3 (Thursday)
*Colorado State 71, Air Force 52
*BYU 72, San Diego State 50
February 5 (Saturday)
*New Mexico 78, San Diego St. 57
*Air Force 82, Wyoming 79 (OT)
*UNLV 72, Utah 66
Climbing the Career Charts
Scoring
| 1. | Keith Van Horn (1993-97) | 2,542 | ||
| 2. | Billy McGill (1959-62) | 2,321 | ||
| 3. | Josh Grant (1988-93) | 2,000 | ||
| 4. | Mike Newlin (1968-71) | 1,849 | ||
| 5. | Luther Burden (1972-75) | 1,790 | ||
| 6. | Jeff Judkins (1974-78) | 1,740 | ||
| 7. | Danny Vranes (1977-81) | 1,701 | ||
| 8. | Tom Chambers (1977-78) | 1,698 | ||
| 9. | Mitch Smith (1985-89) | 1,628 | ||
| 10. | Andre Miller (1995-99) | 1,618 | ||
| - - - | ||||
| 17. | Hanno M?tt?l? (1996-Present) | 1,362 | ||
| 21. | Alex Jensen (1994-95, 97-Present) | 1,174 |
Blocked Shots
| 1. | Mitch Smith (1985-89) | 157 | |
| 2. | Keith Van Horn (1993-97) | 126 | |
| 3. | Michael Doleac (1994-98) | 124 | |
| 4. | Josh Grant (1988-93) | 109 | |
| 5. | Albert Springs (1983-87) | 76 | |
| 6. | Larry Cain (1989-93) | 67 | |
| 7. | Andre Miller (1995-99) | 65 | |
| 8. | Paul Afeaki (1990-92) | 57 | |
| 9. | Danny Vranes (1977-81) | 49 | |
| 10. | Hanno M?tt?l? (1996-Present) | 46 |
Total Rebounds
| 1. | Billy McGill (1959-62) | 1,106 | ||
| 2. | Keith Van Horn (1993-97) | 1,074 | ||
| 3. | Josh Grant (1988-93) | 1,066 | ||
| 4. | Mitch Smith (1985-89) | 1,036 | ||
| 5. | Danny Vranes (1977-81) | 951 | ||
| 6. | Ken Gardner (1968-71) | 892 | ||
| 7. | Michael Doleac (1994-98) | 886 | ||
| 8. | Tom Chambers (1977-81) | 876 | ||
| 9. | Alex Jensen (1994-95, 97-Present) | 817 | ||
| 10. | Mike Sojourner (1972-74) | 733 |
Offensive Rebounds
| 1. | Josh Grant (1988-93) | 337 | |
| 2. | Alex Jensen (1994-95, 97-Present) | 308 | |
| 3. | Michael Doleac (1994-98) | 288 | |
| 4. | Mitch Smith (1985-89) | 260 | |
| 5. | Keith Van Horn (1993-97) | 235 | |
| 6. | Andre Miller (1995-99) | 189 | |
| 7. | Walter Watts (1988-91) | 178 | |
| 8. | Hanno M?tt?la (1996-Present) | 164 | |
| 9. | Brandon Jessie (1994-96) | 161 | |
| 10. | Byron Wilson (1990-93) | 148 |
Defensive Rebounds
| 1. | Keith Van Horn (1993-97) | 839 | |
| 2. | Josh Grant (1988-93) | 729 | |
| 3. | Michael Doleac (1994-98) | 598 | |
| 4. | Mitch Smith (1985-89) | 549 | |
| 5. | Alex Jensen (1994-95, 97-Present) | 509 | |
| 6. | Andre Miller (1995-99) | 454 | |
| 7. | Hanno M?tt?l? (1996-99) | 353 | |
| 8. | Byron Wilson (1990-93) | 301 | |
| 9. | Phil Dixon (1989-94) | 279 | |
| 10. | Walter Watts (1988-91) | 275 |
Rick Majerus
Head Coach, 11th Season at Utah, Marquette '70
Considered as one of the top coaches in America, Rick Majerus has entrenched the University of Utah in college basketball's power structure. The Utes' steady rise in national prominence since Majerus' arrival on the "Hill" at the start of the 1989-90 season was crystallized by a trip to the 1998 NCAA Final Four, where Utah finished as the national runner-up.
Entering his 15th season as a college head coach, Majerus' career winning percentage of .744 was the fourth-highest among active Division I coaches and ranked 15th all-time. Among active coaches, only Roy Williams (Kansas), Jerry Tarkanian (Fresno State and John Kreese (College of Charleston) had better winning percentages. By notching his 350th career victory with a 56-49 win at Brigham Young on Jan. 15, Majerus became one of just nine coaches all-time to reach the 350 wins plateau in 16 seasons, only four coaches have won 350 games in fewer seasons than Majerus.
Majerus, who has never had a losing season, has averaged 22 wins per year over the course of his career. He has won 20 games 12 times and 30 games twice. Majerus has also guided eight teams to the NCAA Tournament and four others to the NIT.
A successful coach since the beginning, Majerus' best years have come at Utah. While leading the Utes to unprecedented success, Majerus has become the winningest coach in modern times at the U. Despite the fact that he coached just six games his first season due to heart surgery, Majerus' Utah teams have averaged nearly 24 wins a year. Take away his shortened debut season, and the Utes have won 20 games all but once, averaging 26 wins in nine full seasons under Majerus.
In each of the past five seasons, the U. has won at least 27 games, including a school-record 30 victories in 1997-98. Only 13 times has an NCAA Division I program won at least 25 games in five consecutive seasons. The Utes have claimed five consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular-season championships outright (including divisional titles the last three years) and made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
What Majerus' teams have accomplished since the beginning of his tenure is astounding. Consider:
- In the '90s, Utah ranked eighth in NCAA Division I in both wins (250) and winning percentage (.767). Utah has averaged 25 wins over the last 10 seasons.
- The past three seasons, Utah went 87-13 to post the fourth-most wins in NCAA Division I. Utah's .870 winning percentage during that time ranked second in the nation, just a tenth of a percentage point behind the College of Charleston.
- The Utes have made seven trips to the NCAA Tournament under Majerus. Utah is one of just six programs to advance to at least the second round of the NCAAs in each of the past five seasons.
- Utah has advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 four times and made back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 1997 and 1998. The Utes also played in the 1998 NCAA Final Four, losing to Kentucky in the national championship game.
- Majerus guided the Utes to the ninth-most wins (15) and the ninth-best winning percentage (.682) in NCAA Tournament play in the '90s. Over the past five years, Utah moved up to fourth place in NCAA Tournament wins (12) and eighth in winning percentage (.706).
- Utah advanced it to the NIT Final Four in 1992, placing third.
- Before departing the WAC after last season, Utah had won seven regular-season titles - including five in a row - in 10 seasons under Majerus.
- Utah won the WAC Tournament championship in 1995, '97 and '99.
- His players have been named All-America five times - twice consensus choices - conference player of the year six times and first team all-conference 16 times.
Nate Althoff - 52
C 6-11 260 Jr. 1L
Delano, Minn. (Delano HS)
Fast Facts: Returning starter at center ... returned to action against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) after missing four games with a sprained left ankle ... back in the starting line-up at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... missed both of the exhibition games with a back sprain, but came back to start the regular-season opener against Arkansas State (Nov. 16) and the first 8 regular-season games ... has started 14 games in all this season ... one 20-point game and seven double-figure scoring games ... has led Utah 3 times in scoring and 3 times in rebounds ... scored in double figures the first 3 games of conference play.
Last Game: 6 points (3-6 FG) 3 rebounds, 1 blocked shot and 1 steal in 27 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: 3 points (1-2 FG, 1-3 FT), 2 rebounds and a blocked shot in 19 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 6 points (3-6 FG) and 4 rebounds in 22 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 8 points (1-3 FG, 6-8 FT) and 3 rebounds in 29 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... 13 points (4-8 FG, 5-5 FT), tied a career-best with 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 25 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-2 FT) and led the Utes with 6 rebounds in 20 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... career-best 20 points, shooting 8-of-8 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line, with a team-high 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in 29 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 7 points (3-6 FG, 1-1 FT) and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 13 points (5-6 FG, 3-3 FT) and 8 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 2 points (1-4 FG, 2-3 FT) and 1 steal in 11 minutes before spraining his left ankle with 7:02 remaining in the first half against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 7 points (3-3 FG), 5 rebounds, career-high 2 steals and 1 blocked shot in 25 minutes at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... 6 points (1-2 FG, 4-4 FT), game-high 7 rebounds and a blocked shot in 21 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 10 points (4-9 FG) and 3 rebounds in 22 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... 11 points (5-6 FG), 3 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 27 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 13 points (6-10 FG), 4 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in 21 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... 4 points (2-6 FG) and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... 14 points (5-10 FG, 4-5 FT), 7 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 20 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 20 vs. San Diego State (1/10/00) |
| Rebounds | 9, Three Times |
| Assists | 3, Two Times |
| Steals | 2, Two Times |
| Blocked Shots | 5 vs. Saint Francis (12/22/98) |
Gary Colbert - 3
G 6-1 175 So. HS
Alta Loma, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
Fast Facts: A non-qualifier last season, Colbert is in his first season on the court ... has played in all but 1 game and started the last 16 contests ... has posted 59 assists and 39 turnovers (1.51 assists/turnover ratio), 70 points and 38 rebounds in 16 games as a starter ... has led the team in assists 6 times.
Last Game: 2 points (0-2 FG, 0-1 3-FG) and 1 rebound in 14 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: Best scoring game of the conference season with 8 points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3-FG), 1 board, 1 assist and 1 steal in 17 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 5 points (2-3 FG, 1-1 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 2 assists (3 turnovers) in 28 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 4 points (2-4 FG), 2 assists and 1 rebound in 17 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... 2 points (1-3 FG) and 2 steals in 20 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 3 assists (1 turnover), 3 rebounds and 1 steal in 22 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 3 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal in 12 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 29 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 15 points (2-6 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 3 assists and 1 rebound in 24 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 4 points (2-2 FG), 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 29 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... career-high 13 points (4-8 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 4-6 FT), 6 assists (2 turnovers), 2 rebounds and 1 steal in 29 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 6 points (2-6 FG, 2-2 FT), 4 assists and 2 boards in 25 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... 9 points (3-5 FG, 2-2 3-FG), 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 29 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 4 points (2-3 FT), 4 assists, a career-high tying 4 steals and 2 rebounds in 25 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... career-high 10 assists (5 turnovers), 5 points (2-3 FG, 1-1 3-FG), 4 rebounds and 1 steal in a career-best 31 minutes at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... made his first career start with 5 points (1-6 FG, 1-1 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 29 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 9 assists (1 turnover), 3 points (3-5 FT) and 4 rebounds in 29 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... played a team-high 25 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... 7 points (3-6 FG), 5 rebounds, 4 assists (1 turnover) and career-best 4 steals against the Seawolves ... 3 points (1-2 FG), 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 13 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 13 vs. Oregon State (12/28/99) |
| Rebounds | 7 vs. Arkansas State (11/16/99) |
| Assists | 10 vs. Washington State (12/22/99) |
| Steals | 4, Two Times |
| Blocked Shots | 1, Three Times |
Phil Cullen - 40
C/F 6-9 215 So. 1L
Chelan, Wash. (Chelan HS)
Fast Facts: Has 13 career starts ... started 11 games this season: 5 at power forward and 6 at center ... 3 double-figure scoring games ... did not score in double figures for 8 straight games before getting 11 against Colorado State (Jan. 24).
Last Game: Scoreless (0-1 3-FG) with 1 assist in 7 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: 2 points (2-2 FT) in 7 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 2 points (1-3 FG, 0-2 3-FG) and 1 assist in 12 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 11 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 3-3 FT) 1 rebound and 1 assist in 13 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... scored all 11 points over a 2:09 span as Utah took a 57-50 lead with 9:56 to play ... had a three-point play, hit consecutive three-pointers and added a pair of free throws ... 1 point (0-6 FG, 0-3 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 12 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 3 points (1-4 FG, 0-2 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 11 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 5 points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 1 blocked shot and 1 steal in 9 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 4 points (1-2 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 11 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 5 points (2-5 FG, 1-2 FT), 5 rebounds and a career-high 3 assists in 12 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 4 points (2-3 FG), 1 rebound and 1 blocked shot in 12 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 3 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 1 board, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot in 20 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 9 points (3-5 FG, 2-4 3-FG) 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 27 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... started at center for the first time this season against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 12 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 22 minutes against the Cougars ... 12 points (4-9 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 3-6 FT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots in 25 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 6 points (2-5 3-FG) in 27 minutes as a starter at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... 3 points (1-4 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 4 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 18 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 5 points (1-5 FG, 2-2 FT) and 1 rebound in 14 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... 3 points (1-3 FG, 1-1 3-FG), 3 boards and 1 assist in 16 minutes as a starter at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 8 points (3-7 FG), 3 rebounds and 2 steals in 24 minutes off the bench against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... scoreless (0-3 3-FG) and 1 rebound in 18 minutes in a starting role at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... started against Arkansas State (Nov. 16), getting 9 points (2-7 FG, 4-4 FT), 2 boards, 2 blocks and 2 steals in 22 minutes ... started both of the exhibition games at center in place of Nate Althoff.
Career Highs
| Points | 14 vs. Weber State (12/9/98) |
| Rebounds | 8 vs. Hawaii (2/13/99) |
| Assists | 3 vs. Southern Utah (1/1/00) |
| Steals | 3 vs. Azusa Pacific (11/14/98) |
| Blocked Shots | 5 vs. Loyola Marymount (12/19/98) |
Tony Harvey - 5
F/G 6-5 200 Sr. 1L
Carson, Calif. (Cerritos JC)
Fast Facts: Started the first 4 games at point guard ... has come off the bench since then with the exception of a start in place of an injured Jeremy Killion at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 7 starts during his career at Utah ... 9 double-figure scoring games this season and has scored at least 10 points in the last four games ... has led Utah in assists 6 times, including 3 consecutive games Jan. 1-10.
Last Game: 12 points (5-10 FG, 2-3 3-FG), 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 assist in 23 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: Season-best 14 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 5-8 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 26 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 12 points (5-8 FG, 2-4 3-FG), 2 assists and 2 steals in 31 minutes as a starter at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 10 points (3-6 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 2-4 FT) and 2 assists in 20 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... 8 points (2-6 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 2-2 FT) and 1 rebound in 29 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 7 points (2-4 3-FG, 1-1 FT), 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 26 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... had a key steal and made 1-of-2 free throws with 36 seconds to go to help seal the win ... 12 points (4-10 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 2-2 FT), a team-best 5 assists (0 turnovers), 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 30 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... game-high 6 assists, 2 points (1-4 FG, 0-2 3-FG), 2 rebounds and a blocked shot in 27 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 5 points (1-4 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 2-3 FT), a game-high 5 assists and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 6 points (1-4 FG, 3-4 FT), 4 assists and 3 boards in 21 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 8 points (2-6 FG, 3-5 FT) and 3 assists in 24 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 9 points (2-8 FG, 4-5 FT), 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 26 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... 9 points (2-7 FG, 4-4 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 24 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 11 points (3-9 FG, 4-4 FT) 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 19 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 9 points (3-5 FG, 2-3 3-FG), 3 assists and 1 rebound in 19 minutes at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... 12 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 2 assists and 3 steals in 21 minutes off the bench against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... came off the bench to get 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-3 3-FG), 2 assists and 2 steals in 21 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... 6 points (2-4 FG, 2-2 FT) and 1 rebound in 20 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 6 points (1-1 FG, 4-4 FT), 2 boards and a career-high 8 assists (no turnovers) against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... 10 points (2-10 FG, 5-5 FT), 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 33 minutes at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... 8 points (3-7 FG, 1-3 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 5 assists in 24 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 19 vs. Fresno State (1/25/99) |
| Rebounds | 7 vs. Saint Francis (12/22/98) |
| Assists | 8 vs. Stony Brook (11/29/99) |
| Steals | 3, Seven Times |
| Blocked Shots | 1, Five Times |
Nick Jacobson - 15
F 6-3 185 Fr. HS
Roseville, Minn. (Roseville HS)
Fast Facts: Has not played in any of the Utes' regular-season games or exhibition games ... is a redshirt candidate this season.
Alex Jensen - 50
F 6-7 225 Sr. 3L
Centerville, Utah (Viewmont HS)
Fast Facts: Has started the last 88 games since the start of the 1997-98 season ... named to the preseason all-MWC team by both the coaches and media ... four 20-point games, 18 double-figure scoring games and 4 double-doubles this season ... 22 double-doubles in his career ... had scored in double figures 12 consecutive games before getting 7 points at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... has scored in double figures six of the seven games since then ... has led Utah 7 times in scoring, 15 times in rebounds 6 times in assists this season ... 5 double-figure rebound games and 13 games with 7 rebounds or more.
Last Game: Second consecutive double-double with 19 points (5-8 FG, 1-4 3-FG, 8-8 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist in 37 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: Double-double with a career-high 26 points (8-10 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 8-11 FT), 12 rebounds and 3 assists in 38 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... game highs with 20 points (8-10 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 2-4 FT) and 9 rebounds in 37 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... scored the last 6 points with Utah trailing by 4 with :50 to play ... hit a three-pointer at the :40 mark and a three-point play on a driving layup at the :15 mark ... 15 points (3-5 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 7-8 FT), game-high 8 rebounds and 3 assists in 36 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... game-high 19 points (6-14 FG, 1-5 3-FG, 6-7 FT), tied a season-best with a game-high 14 rebounds and 3 assists in 38 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 9 points (3-6 FG, 2-2 3-FG, 1-3 FT) and a great defensive effort with a team-best 6 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 23 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 18 points (scoring 16 in the second half) by making 7-of-8 field goals and 4-of-5 three-pointers at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... also had 6 rebounds and 1 assist in 27 minutes against the Aztecs ... 7 points (3-7 FG, 1-3 3-FG), 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 30 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 15 points (5-9 FG), making a career-best 5 three-point field goals in 7 attempts, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 31 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 18 points (7-10 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 3-4 FT), 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 31 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee ... 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-2 FT), 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 37 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 11 points (3-9 FG, 5-6 FT), 8 rebounds and 3 assists in 36 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... 11 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 9 rebounds and 3 assists in 29 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 11 points (7-10 FT), 3 boards and 5 assists in 24 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 21 points (7-10 FG, 3-4 3-FG, 4-6 FT) a game-high 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in 38 minutes at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... 12 points (5-12 FG, 2-4 3-FG), a season-high 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal in 27 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 25 points and his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds against Augusta State ... career-best marks in field goals and three-point field goals made by going 9-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from behind the arc and 4-of-5 from the free throw line in 33 minutes against the Jaguars ... team-high 15 points (5-8 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 3-3 FT), 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... led Utes with 13 points (4-5 FG, 3-3 3-FG, 2-2 FT) and 7 rebounds against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... also had 2 assists and 2 steals in 17 minutes ... 10 points (4-8 FG), 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal in 39 minutes at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... game-high 14 rebounds, 9 points (3-7 FG), 3 assists and 1 steal in 29 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 26 vs. New Mexico (1/31/00) |
| Rebounds | 16 vs. Cal State-Fullerton (11/15/97) |
| Assists | 10 vs. Fresno State (1/25/99) |
| Steals | 5 vs. New Mexico (2/27/99) |
| Blocked Shots | 3 vs. UTEP (1/30/99) |
Jeff Johnsen - 35
G/F 6-4 200 So. 1L
Murray, Utah (Murray HS)
Fast Facts: Returned from a two-year LDS church mission last summer ... blossomed into a major contributor late in his freshman season ... started 7 games and played in 32 in 1996-97 ... has 8 career starts ... 6 double-figure scoring games this season.
Last Game: 2 points (1-4 FG), 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 16 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 25 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 7 points (3-4 FG, 1-2 FT), a game-high 4 assists and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 4 points (1-4 FG, 1-1 3-FG, 1-4 FT), 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 14 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... 5 points (2-5 FG, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots in 20 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 3 points (1-2 FG, 1-1 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 blocked shots at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 6 points (1-4 FG, 4-5 FT), a team-high 5 assists to match a career-best mark and 2 rebounds in 21 minutes at San Diego State (Jan 10) ... 5 points (1-3 FG, 3-4 FT), 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 16 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 7 points (3-4 FG, 1-2 FT), 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 21 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 2 points (1-4 FG), a career-high 3 blocked shots, 3 rebounds and 2 steals in 20 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 5 points (2-3 FG, 1-1 FT) and 5 boards in 13 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 5 points (2-4, 1-1 3-FG) and 1 board in 15 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... 9 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 3 assists and 2 rebounds in 22 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 10 points (5-11 FG) and 6 rebounds in 25 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 6 points (3-6 FG), 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 17 minutes at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 25 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 7 points (3-5 FG), 3 assists and 1 blocked shot in 17 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... season-high 11 points (4-5 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 5 boards and 3 assists in 21 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... first start of the season against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) with 4 points (2-7 FG), 3 boards and 3 assists in 21 minutes ... 4 points (2-5 FG) and 2 rebounds in 23 minutes at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... played in his first official game since the 1996-97 season against Arkansas State (Nov. 16) ... posted his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-best 10 rebounds (6 offensive) ... also had career-highs of 5 assists and 3 steals in 27 minutes.
Career Highs
| Points | 12 vs. Brigham Young (2/6/97) |
| Rebounds | 10 vs. Arkansas State (11/16/99) |
| Assists | 5, Two Times |
| Steals | 3 vs. Arkansas State (11/16/99) |
| Blocked Shots | 3 vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12/30/99) |
Jeremy Killion - 32
G 5-11 190 Sr. 1L
San Diego, Calif. (Palomar HS)
Fast Facts: Has started 52 of 54 games the last two seasons at shooting guard ... did not start at Air Force (Jan. 29) due to a left shoulder strain ... two 20-point games and 8 double-figure scoring games this season ... scored in double figures 4 consecutive games from Dec. 7-18 ... had not scored more than 5 points for 4 consecutive games before getting 14 against Wyoming (Jan. 22).
Last Game: 7 points (1-7 FG, 0-2 3-FG, 5-6 FT) and 3 assists in 35 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: Back into the starting lineup with 8 points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3-FG, 2-2 FT) and 2 assists in 34 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... Scoreless and only played 2 minutes due to a left shoulder strain at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 4 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 32 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... broke out of a shooting slump with 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-7 3-FG, 1-3 FT) and 1 assist in 24 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 5 points (2-6 FG, 1-5 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 36 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 3 points (1-5 3-FG) and 2 rebounds in 35 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 3 points (1-5 3-FG), 2 assists and 1 rebound in 33 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... 3 points (1-4 FG, 1-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 29 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 8 points (2-4 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 3-3 FT), a career-high 5 assists and 3 steals in 29 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 16 points (6-7 FG, 4-5 3-FG), tied a career-high with 4 assists and 2 steals in 33 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 7 points (3-5 FG, 1-3 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 34 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... 13 points (4-5 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 4-4 FT) and 4 assists in 23 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... game-high 15 points (5-9 FG, 2-3 3-FG) and 2 steals in 26 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... career-high 24 points and tied career-highs with 9 field goals and 6 three-point field goals at Washington State (Dec. 11) ... made 9-of-17 field goals and 6-of-13 three-point field goals in 33 minutes against Wazzu ... 21 points, making 7-of-9 field goals and 6-of-8 three-pointers, and 4 rebounds in 24 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... tied a career-best with 6 three-pointers made against the Aggies ... 6 points (2-6 FG, 2-4 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 26 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... 9 points (3-8 FG, 3-4 FT), 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 35 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 11 points (4-9 FG, 3-5 3-FG) and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... game-high 15 points, making 6-of-8 shots from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range, in 35 minutes at Kentucky (Nov. 19) ... 6 points in 23 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 24 vs. Washington State (12/11/99) |
| Rebounds | 6 vs. Indiana (11/24/98) |
| Assists | 5 vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12/30/99) |
| Steals | 3 vs. Arkansas State (3/12/99) |
| Blocked Shots | 1, Four Times |
Hanno M?tt?l? - 13
F 6-9 250 Sr. 1L
Helsinki, Finland (Makelanrinne HS)
Fast Facts: Named to the 1999-2000 Playboy All-America team ... candidate for the Wooden and Naismith awards ... named preseason all-MWC by both the coaches and media and preseason player of the year by the media ... had started all 67 games the past two seasons before suffering a knee injury in the preseason ... has played and started in the last 13 games ... wore a knee brace the first 7 games after his return, then has gone without it since the game at BYU on Jan. 15 ... Utah's leading scorer the first 6 games back and 8 times overall ... five 20-point games and 10 double-figure scoring games ... 2 double-doubles this season and 7 in his career ... scored 20 points or more in five consecutive contests Dec. 22-Jan. 6 ... scored 131 points in 152 minutes, shooting 45-of-72 from the field, 9-of-14 from three-point range and 32-of-42 from the free throw line during that stretch ... named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 3.
Last Game: 16 points (5-16 FG, 0-3 3-FG, 6-8 FT), 9 rebounds and 1 assist in 37 minutes at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: 9 points (2-9 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 4-4 FT), 5 rebounds, a game-high 4 assists and 2 blocked shots in 30 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-4 FT), 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 24 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... hyperextended of his left elbow in the second half ... 17 points (6-9 FG, 0-2 3-FG, 5-7 FT), 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 32 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... 7 points (3-8 FG, 0-3 3-FG, 1-1 FT), 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... got just 2 points in 3 minutes in the first half after drawing 2 quick fouls against the Cowboys ... led the Utes with 18 points (7-16 FG, 0-4 3-FG, 4-7 FT), 4 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 32 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... scored 4 points in the final minute ... 4 points (1-5 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 18 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... game-high 27 points (8-12 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 9-12 FT), 2 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 32 minutes at Louisville (Jan. 6) ... double-double with a game-high 20 points (6-10 FG, 8-10 FT), 10 rebounds and 2 assists in 28 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... led all scorers with 23 points (10-16 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 3-3 FT), 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 30 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... game-high 29 points (9-13 FG, 3-3 3-FG, 8-10 FT), 6 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 31 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... double-double with a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes against Texas (Dec. 22) ... also made a personal-best 12 field goals in 21 attempts and went 3-of-5 from three-point range and 5-of-7 from the line against UT ... played 20 minutes as a starter in his first game back ... scored a game-high 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 2 boards and 2 assists against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... missed the first eight games this season ... sustained a partially torn medial cruciate ligament in his left knee against the California All-Stars on Nov. 9 ... the injury did not require surgery.
Career Highs
| Points | 32 vs. Texas (12/22/99) |
| Rebounds | 12 vs. Long Beach State (12/5/98) |
| Assists | 5 vs. UTEP (2/25/99) |
| Steals | 2, Four Times |
| Blocked Shots | 3 vs. UNLV (2/23/98) |
Mike Puzey - 42
F 6-8 215 Fr. RS
Roy, Utah (Roy HS)
Fast Facts: First season back after a two-year LDS church mission ... was on the team as a redshirt in 1996-97 ... has started 1 game this season.
Last Game: Did not take a shot in 1 minute at UNLV (Feb. 5).
Season: Did not take a shot and played 3 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 2 rebounds in 6 minutes against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 3 rebounds in 7 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 9 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 3 rebounds in 5 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 2 points (1-1 FG) and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 1 rebound in 3 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 2 points (1-1 FG), 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 11 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... career-high 9 rebounds, 6 points (3-4 FG), 1 assist and 1 steal in a career-best 19 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 6 points (3-3 FG), 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 13 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... first career start with 2 points (1-1 FG) and 1 rebound in 13 minutes against Augusta State (Dec. 3) ... career-high 8 points (3-5 FG, 2-4 FT), 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 13 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 4 points (1-1 FG, 2-4 FT), 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals in 16 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... played in his first game at Utah against Arkansas State (Nov. 16) ... 5 points (2-4 FG, 1-3 FT) and 1 steal in 13 minutes against the Indians.
Career Highs
| Points | 8 vs. Weber State (12/1/99) |
| Rebounds | 9 vs. Sioux Falls (12/17/99) |
| Assists | 1, Four Times |
| Steals | 2 vs. Stony Brook (11/29/99) |
| Blocked Shots | None |
Adam Sharp - 4
G 6-2 180 So. 1L
Salt Lake City (Alta HS)
Fast Facts: Played in 32 games last year as a redshirt freshman ... has started 1 game and played in 19 this season.
Last Game: 2 points (1-1 FG) and 1 rebound in 3 minutes against UNLV (Feb. 5) ... 2 points (1-1 FG) in 4 minutes against New Mexico (Jan. 31) ... 2 points (1-2 FG, 0-1 FT) and 3 assists in 18 minutes at Air Force (Jan. 29) ... 3 points (1-2 FG, 1-1 3-FG) and 1 blocked shot in 7 minutes against Colorado State (Jan. 24) ... stuck a clutch three-pointer to tie the game late in the first half ... 1 rebound in 1 minute against Wyoming (Jan. 22) ... 1 rebound in 7 minutes at BYU (Jan. 15) ... 2 points (1-1 FG), 3 assists and 1 steal in 10 minutes at San Diego State (Jan. 10) ... 2 assists and 1 steal in 9 minutes against Southern Utah (Jan. 1) ... 4 points (2-2 FG) and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes against Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Dec. 30) ... 3 points (1-1 3-FG), 1 assist, 1 blocked shot and 2 steals in 10 minutes against Oregon State (Dec. 28) ... 3 points (1-2 3-FG), 3 rebounds and 1 steal in 18 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... 1 point (1-2 FT), 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 18 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 2 points (1-2 FG), 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 22 minutes against Utah State (Dec. 7) ... 2 points (1-2 FG), 3 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal in 18 minutes at Weber State (Dec. 1) ... 3 points (1-1 3-FG), 1 assist and 1 steal in 19 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... 2 points (2-4 FT) in 10 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16).
Career Highs
| Points | 7 vs. Rhode Island (12/2/98) |
| Rebounds | 4, Three Times |
| Assists | 3, Four Times |
| Steals | 3, Two Times |
| Blocked Shots | 2 vs. Ripon (1/2/99) |
Brandon Sluga - 25
G/F 6-4 210 Sr. 3L
Taylorsville, Utah (Bingham HS)
Fast Facts: Walk-on in his fourth year with the team ... has played in 15 games in his career.
Season: Has played in 4 games ... scoreless (0-1 FG) in 2 minutes against Chicago State (Dec. 18) ... scoreless (0-1 FG) in 3 minutes against Sioux Falls (Dec. 17) ... 2 points (1-2 FG) in 4 minutes against Stony Brook (Nov. 29) ... 2 points (1-1 FG) in 4 minutes against Arkansas State (Nov. 16) ... did not play in either exhibition game.
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