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Utah Men's Basketball Plays Wyoming Monday, January 8
1/5/2001 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Jan. 5, 2001
Game #15 Utah Utes (8-6, 0-0 MWC) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (9-3, 0-0 MWC) Jan. 8 * 10:04 p.m. (MST) * Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000) * Salt Lake City
The Game at a Glance
Utah Acting Coach: Dick Hunsaker
Season at Utah: 3rd
Alma Mater: Weber State `77
Record as Acting Coach: 7-6
Wyoming Coach: Steve McClain
Alma Mater: Chadron State `84
Record at Wyoming: 46-25/3rd Season
Overall: 46-25/3rd Season
Television: ESPN. Bob Carpenter (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst).
Radio: Utah Sports Network (KALL-910 AM in Salt Lake City and affiliate stations).
On the Internet at www.UtahUtes.com. Bill Marcroft (play-by-play), Mark Rydalch (analyst) and Brad Stone (host).
Series Record: Utah leads 81-66 Utah's Record Home/Away/Neutral: 51-21/28-43/2-2 Last Meeting: Wyoming defeated Utah 88-61 on Feb. 28, 2000 in Laramie, Wyo.
A Quick Look At Utah
The Utes are 8-6 on the season after winning three of their last five games. Utah got an 80-67 win over Long Beach State at home on Wednesday after falling to Texas 70-59 last Saturday in Austin, Texas.
Utah has four players averaging nine points per game or better. Junior guard Kevin Bradley, coming off the bench the past two games, leads the team in scoring (10.6 ppg), shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range, and assists (2.71 apg). Junior forward Phil Cullen is second in scoring (9.9 ppg), shooting 43.8 percent from three-point range, and second in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Senior center Nate Althoff (9.4 ppg), who has played off the bench the last six games, is third in scoring and leads the team in free throw percentage (.823). Junior guard/forward Jeff Johnsen, who has also come off the bench the last six contests, is fourth in scoring (9.2 ppg), shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from behind the arc. Junior forward/center Chris Burgess, who has started the last nine games, leads the team in rebounding (5.7 rpg).
Utah returned just one starter and three other letterwinners from last season, as well as two return missionaries who played on the 1998 Final Four team. Utah went 23-9 overall, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and tied for the inaugural Mountain West Conference championship with a 10-4 record in 1999-2000.
Majerus Undergoes Successful Heart Procedure, Return to Team Delayed
Rick Majerus, who was admitted to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City on Monday after experiencing chest pains, underwent a coronary angiography and stenting of two coronary artery branches on Tuesday. He had a follow-up procedure performed on Wednesday. Doctors reported that both procedures went very well.
In the week leading up to his operation, Majerus had noted symptoms of a heart problem. After consulting with his physicians, it was recommended that he be admitted to the hospital as a precautionary measure, and for further evaluation and testing.
Majerus has been away from the team for the past six weeks while undergoing rehabilitation from late-September anthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He had anticipated to rejoin the team on Monday. Dick Hunsaker, who has directed the Utes during the last 12 games, will continue to serve as the acting head coach in Majerus' absence.
Majerus underwent heart surgery in mid-December of 1989. After coaching the team through the first six games, he missed the rest of the 1989-90 season.
Dick Hunsaker Directing the Utes
Dick Hunsaker, in his third year at Utah, is serving as the acting head coach in the absence of Rick Majerus. His record as Utah's acting head coach is 7-6, directing the team since the second game of the season. The wins and losses will still be credited to Majerus' record during his absence.
Hunsaker was the associate head coach under Majerus at Ball State from 1987-89. Hunsaker was the head coach at Ball State from 1989-93. He compiled a 97-33 record with the Cardinals, giving him the seventh-best four-year coaching record in NCAA history. During his stay in Muncie, Ind., Ball State made two trips to the NIT and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He led the Cardinals to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1990. Hunsaker posted four 20-win seasons at BSU. His teams also captured two Mid-American Conference championships and placed second twice. Hunsaker has a 148-61 (.708) record as a college head coach.
Hunsaker came to Utah from Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., where he had been the head coach since 1995. During his three years at Manchester, he posted a 51-27 record and led the Spartans to three of the 10 winningest seasons in the college's 85-year history.
From the Training Room
Sophomore forward Mike Puzey is suffering from two injuries. He has plantar (sole) fasciitis in his right foot and broke his nose in practice on Dec. 28. In order to prevent further injury to his nose, Puzey has been wearing a plastic protective mask.
Close Calls Lead to Slow Start
A few bounces of the ball here or there, and Utah could be boasting of a record far better than its current 8-6 mark heading into Mountain West Conference play. Utah's six losses have come by a combined 31 points for an average of 5.2 points per game.
Utah suffered a one-point loss (58-57) at Utah State on Dec. 6, a two-point loss at home (79-77) to Weber State on Dec. 9. The Utes had two five-point setbacks to Georgia (Nov. 24) and USC (Dec. 2) by identical 65-60 scores on neutral courts. Utah's worst loss of the season was by an 11-point margin (70-59) at 25th-ranked Texas on Dec. 30.
In four of the six losses, Utah had significant leads in the second half. The Utes led Georgia 55-36 with 12:13 to play, had a 52-48 lead over Utah State with 10:27 to go, a 56-50 cushion over Southern Utah with 10:46 remaining and a 53-50 advantage over Texas with 6:18 left.
Utah's six losses in nonconference play is the most that it has had in the past 12 years. The last time the Utes went into league play with more than five losses was in 1988-89, the last season of Lynn Archibald's tenure, when Utah went 9-6 through its pre-conference schedule. During the Majerus era, Utah has had four losses before the start of conference play just twice, going 7-4 in 1989-90 (Majerus' first season) and 10-4 in 1998-99.
Utah vs. Wyoming Notes
Scouting the Cowboys
Wyoming is 9-3 after splitting its last two games. The Cowboys defeated Wichita State at home last Saturday, 72-65, before losing at Louisiana State, 73-69, on Wednesday, dropping their road record to 2-3.
Three players are averaging double figures in points for the Cowboys. Sophomore 6-5 guard Marcus Bailey leads the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and is shooting 34.2 percent (13-for-38) from three-point range. Junior 6-8 forward Josh Davis is averaging a double-double of 12.5 points and a team-best 10.5 boards per game. Sophomore 6-10 center Uche Nsonwu-Amadi is third on the team and scoring (11.0 ppg) and second in rebounding (8.0 rpg). Junior 5-10 guard Chris McMillian is averaging a team-best 4.6 assists.
Head Coach Steve McClain
Steve McClain is in his third season at Wyoming. The Cowboys did not qualify for postseason play last year after making it to the second round of the NIT in 1999. Before taking the post at UW, he was an assistant coach at TCU under Billy Tubbs from 1994-98. He helped lead the Horned Frogs to the 1998 NCAA Tournament and a No. 15 final A.P. ranking.
Series Notes
Utah leads the overall series with Wyoming 81-66 and has a 51-21 advantage in games played in Salt Lake City. The Utes have won the last six against UW in the Huntsman Center with Wyoming's last win in Salt Lake City coming by a 70-57 margin on Feb. 22, 1992.
Utah and Wyoming did not meet during the 1996-97 and 1998-99 seasons when the old rivals were placed in separate divisions of the 16-team WAC. The Utes have won 11 of the last 17 meetings, but Wyoming has taken five of the last nine contests.
Team Notes
Game #14 Rewind
Britton Johnsen had seven of his career-high 23 points in a 16-2 second-half run as Utah beat Long Beach State 80-67 on Wednesday in the Huntsman Center. Johnsen, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, made 8-of-14 shots and grabbed eight rebounds in besting his previous scoring high of 12 points. Nick Jacobson also set a career-high with 14 points while Britton's brother Jeff had 13 for Utah.
Ramel Lloyd and Travis Reed each scored 22 points for Long Beach State (7-6), which dropped its second straight after winning four in a row. Reed posted a season-high and Lloyd has scored 20 or more points in six of his last seven games.
Midway through the second half, Long Beach State cut the lead to 54-50 before the Johnsen brothers took over for Utah. Jeff Johnsen sparked a 16-2 run with a layup and three-pointer. Britton also had a three-pointer in the spurt and was on the receiving end of an alley-oop dunk from Jeff. Britton stole the ball and had a breakaway dunk to close the run at 70-52 with 6:02 remaining.
The 49ers became just the second team this season to make more than 50 percent of its field gaols against the Utes with 27-of-52 shooting. Utah committed a season-low nine turnovers while scoring 25 points off the 49ers' 16 errors.
Changing of the Guard
Junior Travis Spivey, a transfer from Salt Lake Community College who's career has gotten off to a slow start at Utah, was the in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game against Long Beach State on Wednesday night. With fellow junior college transfer Kevin Bradley, the staring point guard for the first 12 games, coming off the bench, Utah's generals had their best floor games of the season, combining for seven assists and no turnovers. It was the first time this season both of Utah's top point guards went turnover free.
Spivey had four points and three assists in 27 minutes, while Bradley contributed five points, four assists and one steal in 24 minutes against the 49ers. Their effort helped Utah commit a season-low nine turnovers. Entering the Long Beach State game, Utah was averaging 16.5 turnovers per game. The Utes are 6-1 when they commit fewer turnovers than their opponent this season.
Home (Not So) Sweet Home
With a best-in the-nation 54-game homecourt winning streak through the first two home games of the season, Utah lost two of its next three in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. After a 79-77 loss to Weber State gave Utah its first home loss in nearly four years on Dec. 9, the Utes bounced back with an impressive 87-63 win over Washington State on Dec. 16. The Utes then dropped their second home game of the season to Southern Utah, 77-70, on Dec. 22. Utah is 5-2 at home this season after wins over Concordia (Calif.) on Dec. 26 Long Beach State on Jan. 3. Before the loss to Weber State, Utah had won 94 of its last 96 games at home.
The last time Utah lost two home games in the same season was in 1993-94, when it went 11-3 and 7-2 in league games in the Huntsman Center. Since then, Utah has posted two one-loss seasons in the JMHC, going 14-1 in 1995-96 and 13-1 in 1996-97, and four undefeated seasons.
The Utes have gone unbeaten seven times in the 32-year history of the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Six 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) and 1999-2000 (17-0). The Utes are 151-12 (.926) in the Huntsman Center under Majerus (including the five games he has not coached this season) and have never lost back-to-back home games.
Inside the Numbers
Eight games into the season, Utah was shooting just 67.2 percent from the free throw line. However, that percentage improved greatly after the Utes went 39-for-48 (.813) against Washington State and 21-for-26 (.808) against Pepperdine. After a season-best 87.5 percent effort (14-of-16) against Long Beach State, Utah is shooting 70.9 percent from the line. The worst free throw shooting team of the Rick Majerus era was in 1991-92 (.688). Only one other team (1998-99, .699) has been below 70 percent.
With 196 assists and 223 turnovers on the season, Utah has a 0.88 assists-turnover ratio and has averaged 15.9 turnovers a game. A team from the Rick Majerus era has never finished the season with less than a 1.0 assists-turnover ratio. Since the turnover stat was recorded beginning in 1975-76, the only Utah team to finish with less than a 1.0 assists-turnover ratio was the 1981-82 squad that had 404 assists to 419 turnovers (0.96).
The Utes have used six different starting line-ups this season with eight different players starting at least one game. The last two games, Utah has game with the quintet of Britton Johnsen (SF), Phil Cullen (PF), Chris Burgess (C), Travis Spivey (PG) and Nick Jacobson (SG) for the past two games, going 1-1. Before Spivey took over at the point, Kevin Bradley had started the first 12 games of the season. Ten players are averaging at least nine minutes a game, while just one (Kevin Bradley at 25.6) is averaging more than 23 minutes per contest.
In 14 games, Utah has held six of its opponents to less than 60 points. Only three teams have reached the 70-point barrier: Weber State (79), Southern Utah (77) and Texas (70).
Only two teams have shot better than 50 percent from the field against the Utes this season. Southern Utah connected on 53.3 percent of its shots (60.9 percent in the second half) and 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from three-point range. Long Beach State shot 51.9 percent from the field, with two players doing the bulk of the damage. Center Travis Reed and guard Ramel Lloyd combined to go 19-of-30 (.633) while the rest of the 49ers shot 8-of-22 (.364).
The Utes have been outrebounded just twice: 33-24 to Georgia and 33-27 to Memphis.
Utah has shot 50 percent or better in seven games this season, winning five of those games.
With defeats to then-No. 15 Southern California on Dec. 2, Utah State on Dec. 6, and Weber State on Dec. 9, Utah lost three consecutive nonconference games for the first time during the Rick Majerus era. The skid ended with an 87-63 win over Washington State on Dec. 16. Utah's most recent nonconference losing streak of three games or more came in 1988-89, the final season under Lynn Archibald, when Utah dropped four consecutive games to Florida on Nov. 27 (77-68), Cal State-Fullerton on Dec. 1 (59-57), Santa Clara on Dec. 3 (66-60) and Colorado on Dec. 6 (68-65).
The last time the Utes dropped three consecutive games overall was during the 1993-94 season. During that streak, the Utes fell to Fresno State on Feb. 17 (95-86), Air Force on Feb. 19 (91-89 in OT) and Brigham Young on Feb. 26 (73-70). Utah had a four-game losing streak during the 1989-90 conference season from Jan. 13 through Jan. 25. That losing streak took place during Majerus' first lengthy absence from the Utah bench. Joe Cravens served as the acting head coach for 24 games that year while Majerus recovered from heart surgery.
The Nation's Most Dominant Team in League Play the Last Six Years
As the Utes head into their second season in the Mountain West Conference, three impressive records remain intact. Utah's conference record over the past six years en route to six straight regular-season titles is 81-13 (.862), 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 home games the past six years with a 46-1 (.978) record.
The Utes have also won 37 consecutive league games at home, which is the nation's longest current streak. This season, the Utes have a chance to tie Kansas' string of 44 consecutive conference home wins, which was snapped by Nebraska on Feb. 10, 1999. Utah's last home conference loss was to Fresno State (65-64) on Jan. 8, 1996.
Utes Dealing with Rare Occurrence of No Returning All-Conference Selections
For just the second time since Rick Majerus took over the Ute basketball program, Utah doesn't feature a single returning all-conference selection on the roster.
Discounting Majerus' first season (1989-90), the only time the Utes haven't returned a first or second team all-conference selection was in 1993-94. That season resulted in the only non-winning season of the Majerus era with Utah going 14-14 overall and 8-10 in the Western Athletic Conference.
In 1991-92, Josh Grant was back for his fourth season with the Utes as the reigning WAC Player of the Year and the only returning all-conference honoree on the roster. However, he took a medical redshirt after helping the Utes win the first three games of the season. Without their leader, Utah finished 24-11 overall and 9-7 in conference play.
Growing Pains
Despite only one starter and three other lettermen returning from last season, prognosticators didn't hesitate to place Utah in their preseason Top 25 polls. However, Rick Majerus and his staff have cautioned all along that this 2000-01 Utah team has some growing to do before it will be capable of living up to those lofty expectations. Here's proof that Utah is a team that is maturing, but one still very much trying to find its way.
On opening night with Rick Majerus still on the bench, Utah shot 66 percent in the first half to lead Idaho State 42-20 at intermission. The Utes built the lead to 46-20 with 18:24 to play and still led by 23 points (50-27) with 15:02 left before seeing their cushion dwindle down to just five points (66-61) with 1:02 left. Utah held on for a 71-65 win.
Against Georgia in the second round of the Puerto Rico Shootout, Utah led 45-36 with 12:13 remaining, but Georgia used a 12-2 run to take a 48-47 lead with 8:43 left and pulled away from there for a 65-60 win. The Utes committed a season-high 22 turnovers.
Utah had a slow start against Memphis in the third-place game of the Puerto Rico Shootout, trailing 22-10 with 9:04 to play before halftime. But, the Utes righted the ship to close within 32-29 at halftime. After shooting 36.4 percent in the first half, Utah warmed-up to 52.2 and held Memphis to a 31.8 percentage in the second half to outscore the Tigers 32-26 and post a 61-58 win.
Utah had a commanding 44 to 34 advantage on the boards and shot 44.0 percent from three-point range, however, the Utes also shot 36.7 percent from the field and went just 5-of-10 from the free throw line in a 65-60 loss to then-No. 15 Southern California in the John Wooden Classic on Dec. 2.
In spite of shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from three-point range in the first half to build a 38-33 lead, Utah shot 20.8 percent in the second half, making just five field goals and getting only five points in the final 10 minutes, in a 58-57 loss at Utah State on Dec. 6.
For the second consecutive game, Utah was unable to score on the final play in a 79-77 loss to Weber State at home on Dec. 9. The Utes shot 50.0 percent from the field and had a 37 to 31 edge on the boards. However, Utah committed 18 turnovers, which led to 23 Weber State points and shot just 65.8 percent from the free throw line in 38 trips.
Utah had its second-best field goal percentage (60.6), best three-point percentage going 8-of-12 (66.7) and second-best free throw percentage (81.2) in an 87-63 win over Washington State on Dec. 16. The Utes also held the Cougars to 35.4 percent shooting from the field.
Facing Pepperdine, a team with a 6-3 record that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago and had won 14 in a row at home, Utah came away with a 69-56 win on Dec. 19. The Utes held their opposition to below 40 percent from the field for the second straight game as the Waves shot 33.9 percent, which is second-lowest mark by an opponent this season. Utah also shot above 80 percent from the free throw line for the second consecutive game (.808).
After two straight wins, Utah allowed Southern Utah to shoot 60.9 percent in the second half and make 8-of-12 three-pointers in the game in a 77-70 loss at the Huntsman Center on Dec. 22. The Utes' 17 turnovers led to 31 SUU points.
Utah jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first half and led by three (53-50) with 6:18 remaining before falling on the road to Texas, 70-59. Utah went without a field goal for the final 5:03 and shot a season-low 32.8 percent (19-for-58) for the game.
Cullen Coming On
Junior 6-9 forward Phil Cullen has scored in double figures in six of the last nine games, leading the Utes in scoring in four of those contests.
In the six games prior to the Concordia contest (Dec. 2-22), Cullen averaged 13.5 points, shooting 47.1 percent (25-of-53) from the field, 48.5 percent (17-of-35) from three-point range and 70.0 percent (14-of-20) from the free throw line. Through 14 games, Cullen is second on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg), shooting 46.4 percent from the field and a team-best (over 20 attempts) 43.8 percent from three-point range. He is also second on the team in rebounding (4.9 rpg).
After playing the previous three games off the bench, Cullen got the start against Washington State on Dec. 16. Cullen responded with a career-high 21 points, making a personal-best five three-pointers in six attempts. He also shot 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line in 24 minutes. Cullen led the Utes with six rebounds in the game.
Highlighting other games, Cullen scored 18 points, making 6-of-10 shots from the field and 4-of-7 three-pointers, in 18 minutes against Southern California on Dec. 2. He had 13 points, a blocked shot and three steals in 26 minutes against Utah State on Dec. 6. Cullen followed that up with 15 points, making all four field goals, both three-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws, in 19 minutes against Weber State on Dec. 9.
Bradley Providing Good Production
Junior 6-0 guard Kevin Bradley, a relatively unheralded transfer from Compton Community College, has raised some eyebrows with his solid play. Bradley started the first 12 games of the season and has continued to get significant playing time off the bench since then, averaging a team-best 25.6 minutes per game. He leads the team in scoring (10.6 ppg), shooting 41.3 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three-point range and 77.8 percent from the free throw line. Bradley is also averaging a team-best 2.7 assists per game. He has led Utah in scoring five times and assists seven times.
Bradley had a 3-1 assists to turnover ratio through the first four games of the season. He had his best floor game of the season against Washington State on Dec. 16, getting five assists and one steal to just one turnover. He also had 12 points, making all six free throws and 3-of-7 field goals, in 31 minutes. Against Southern Utah on Dec. 22, Bradley scored in double figures for the seventh time this season with a team-high 18 points.
A native of Los Angeles, Bradley was named the conference player of the year as a senior at Crenshaw High School.
All in the Family
Utah has one of 11 brother combinations in NCAA Division I this season in Jeff and Britton Johnsen. Both of the Johnsens rank among the top six players statistically this season. Jeff (G/F, 6-4, 200), a junior, is fourth on the team in scoring (9.2 ppg), shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from three-point range. He is also averaging 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists, and has led the team in scoring three times and assists six times. Britton (F, 6-9, 205), a sophomore, is fifth on the team in scoring (7.4 ppg) and second in rebounds (4.9 rpg). He has also scored in double figures in five of the last eight games. Britton got a career-high 23 points, making 8-of-14 field goals and 4-of-6 three-pointers, with eight rebounds and three blocked shots in 27 minutes against Long Beach State.
Jeff began his career at Utah in 1996-97 before going on a two-year LDS Church mission to Fresno, Calif. He averaged 5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 32 games last season with five starts. Britton who resumes his Utah career this season, played for the Utes in 1997-98 before going on his LDS Church mission to Houston, Texas. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in 21 games as a freshman.
The Johnsens, who hail from Murray, Utah, hadn't played together for four years. The last season the Johnsens played together, they led Murray High School to the Utah 4A state title in 1996.
Rick Majerus has literally made his program a family affair at Utah. The Johnsens are the fifth set of brothers to play for Majerus spanning his 12-year career at the U. However, they are the first to play together.
Burgess Playing Bigger Role
Junior forward/center Chris Burgess has started the last nine games for the Utes. He is sixth on the team in scoring (7.1 ppg), and first in rebounds (5.7 rpg) and blocked shots (12). Against Concordia on Dec. 26, Burgess flirted with his career high (16 points), getting 13 points and six rebounds in just 16 minutes. It was the sixth time this season he scored in double figures. He reached double figures in rebounds for the second time as a Ute with 10 against Texas on Dec. 30.
In his first start, Burgess got seven points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes against Southern California in the Wooden Classic on Dec. 2. It was his first college game in his home state. He had a Utah career-high 15 points while making 6-of-8 field goals, eight rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals in 30 minutes against Weber State on Dec. 9.
Burgess was named to the Puerto Rico Shootout all-tournament team. In the three-game tournament, Burgess averaged 11.7 points, shooting 56.5 percent from the field, and 6.0 rebounds while playing 24.0 minutes per game. He also had five steals and four blocked shots. He led Utah with 12 points and eight rebounds against Georgia in the semifinals. The Duke transfer in his first season on the court with the Utes also had 12 points, two boards, three steals and two blocked shots in 22 minutes against Memphis in the third-place game.
Defense, Defense, Defense
One of the trademarks of a Utah team during the Rick Majerus era is a stifling half-court defense. In the past 11 seasons under Majerus, Utah has ranked in the top 30 in the nation eight times in field goal percentage defense, eight times in the top 25 in scoring defense, seven times in the top 25 in scoring margin and eight times in the top 30 in rebound margin.
Utah ranked 20th in the NCAA in scoring defense last season, giving up 61.8 points per game. This season, the Utes are giving up just 60.3 points per game to rank 18th nationally as of Dec. 18. The Utes are one of just eight teams to appear in the top 10 in the NCAA in scoring defense at least four times in the last 11 years. Utah is also one of just four teams to rank in the top 25 in the nation in scoring defense at least nine times in the last 11 years.
Utah has an 8.9 rebounds per game advantage over the opposition this season. The Utes ranked 26th in the nation in rebound margin (4.8 rpg) last season and have been ranked been ranked among the top 30 teams in the nation in rebound margin in each of the last six years. Utah is one of just seven schools to rank in the top 10 at least three times in the last five years. Only Navy's four appearances rank ahead of Utah.
Utah has not been outrebounded in 47 consecutive conference regular-season games. The last time the Utes came out on the short end of a rebound battle in league play was 32-27 in a WAC contest at Tulsa on Feb. 22, 1997. Utah led the Mountain West Conference in defensive rebounds (28.9 rpg) and rebound margin (4.8 rpg) in 1999-2000.
Opponents have shot 39.7 percent from the field on the Utes this season. Utah is one of just eight schools to rank in the top 30 in the nation in field goal percentage defense four of the last five years. Utah has also been in the top 10 in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense four times during the Rick Majerus era.
Thanks to their stifling defense, the U. has also ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation in scoring margin four times in the last five years and seven times in the last 11 years. Utah has outscored its opponents by an average of 13.0 points per game this season. In the last five years, the Utes are one of just eight teams with four appearances in the top 25, bettered only by Cincinnati's streak of five consecutive years. Utah is also one of just six teams to rank in the top 10 at least three times in the last five years.
Burgess and Spivey Receive Preseason Accolades
A couple of Ute newcomers, junior center Chris Burgess (6-10, 245) and junior guard Travis Spivey (6-1, 205), received numerous preseason accolades.
Noting some of the sources, Burgess, in his first year on the court with the Utes after transferring from Duke, is predicted to be the Mountain West Conference's "Newcomer of the Year" by the league media, Basketball News and Preview Sports. The Basketball News and Preview Sports also placed Burgess on their all-conference first team. Spivey, who started as a freshman at Georgia Tech and was a second team NJCAA All-American at Salt Lake Community College last season, was predicted to be the "Newcomer of the Year" in the Mountain West Conference and first team all-league by The Sporting News. The Basketball News also placed him on its Mountain West Conference preseason first team.
Utes' Homecourt Winning Streak Halted
Utah's best-in-the-nation 54-game homecourt winning streak came to an end with a 79-77 loss to Weber State on Dec. 9. The Utes hadn't lost a game in the Huntsman Center since Dec. 31, 1996 to Wake Forest in a showdown between Keith Van Horn and Tim Duncan, the top two picks in the following summer's NBA Draft. Utah's winning streak, the longest in school history, began with an 84-63 win over Colorado State on Jan. 4, 1997.
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 consecutive wins sandwiched in between the two losses, Utah had won 94 of its last 96 games played in the Huntsman Center before the Dec. 9 loss.
Mountain West Conference Teleconference Scheduled
The Mountain West Conference will hold the first of three teleconferences featuring the league's coaches on Friday, Jan. 5. To participate, members of the media should call (719) 457-2629. The second MWC conference call will take place Feb. 7, while the third is set for March 5. To receive a confirmation number, contact Mike Lageschulte of the Utah sports information office or Javan Hedlund of the Mountain West Conference office at (710) 533-9500.
Media Picks Utes to Win Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference released its preseason media poll and all-conference team Oct. 4 during Basketball Media Day at the Las Vegas Four Seasons Hotel, in Las Vegas, Nev.
The league media selected Utah to claim the Mountain West Conference title for the second straight season, awarding the Utes 18 of a possible 32 first-place votes. Wyoming was picked second in the poll garnering seven first-place votes, followed by UNLV with six first-place tallies. BYU finished fourth and was the only other team to receive a first-place nomination. New Mexico was selected fifth, followed by Colorado State, San Diego State and Air Force.
The preseason all-conference team included Wyoming's Josh Davis and Ugo Udezue, BYU's Terrell Lyday and Mekeli Wesley, and UNLV's Kaspars Kambala. Top returnee honors went to UNLV senior forward/center Kaspars Kambala, while Utah center/forward Chris Burgess, a transfer from Duke, was tabbed newcomer of the year.
One of the Nation's Elite Programs in Recent Years
- Under the guidance of head coach Rick Majerus, Utah won the eighth-most games in NCAA Division I during the 1990s. The Utes had a 250-76 record from 1989-99, placing them behind Kansas (286-60), Kentucky (282-63), Duke (271-78), North Carolina (270-78), Arkansas (260-83), Connecticut (259-75) and Arizona (256-67).
- Utah also ranked eighth in the nation in winning percentage (.767) in the `90s. Kansas had the best winning percentage at .827, followed by Kentucky (.817), Arizona (.793), College of Charleston (.784), Duke (.777), North Carolina (.776) and Connecticut (.775).
- In the last five seasons, the Utes had the fourth-most wins in NCAA Division I with a 137-29 record. Utah's .825 winning percentage over the last five years also ranks fourth in the nation, falling behind the College of Charleston (.855), Kentucky (.846) and Kansas (.831). The Utes are tied with Cincinnati (.825) and rank ahead of such programs as Duke (.809), Connecticut (.806), Stanford (.797), Arizona (.788) and Princeton (.786).
Utah Third Winningest Basketball School the Past Five Years
When it comes to basketball, the University of Utah has established itself among the nation's elite in recent years. Combined, the Ute men's and women's programs went 248-64 the past five seasons for a .795 winning percentage, which ranks third-best in the country. Utah ranks behind Connecticut (.866) and Stanford (.796), and ahead of Duke (.787).
Utah's men and women swept the inaugural Mountain West Conference regular-season championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. The women.
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