Utah Men's Basketball Announces 2001-02 Schedule

Aug. 22, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -- Eleven games against postseason participants from last year, match-ups with five 20-game winners during the nonconference schedule and 16 regular-season home dates highlight the 2001-02 University of Utah men's basketball schedule announced today.

Utah will be featured once on ABC, four times on ESPN, once on ESPN2 and four times on ESPN Regional Television this season, giving the Utes the maximum 10 appearances as part of the Mountain West Conferences's television package. The Utes will also have one game shown on Fox Sports Net and 11 games broadcast locally by KJZZ-TV, the University of Utah's television partner, bringing the total numbers of televised games to 22, the most ever. KJZZ-TV is the Salt Lake City affiliate for ESPN Regional.

Utah faces five opponents that advanced to postseason play during its pre-Mountain West schedule. After opening against St. Francis (Ill.) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Nov. 16 and hosting Boise State on Nov. 20, the Utes embark on a challenging four-game swing over the next 12 days.

The stretch begins Nov. 23 with a home game against in-state rival Utah State, which will be televised by KJZZ. The Aggies went 28-6 last season, including a 58-57 victory over the Utes in Logan. Utah State also won the Big West Tournament after placing second in the league during the regular season and defeated Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Three days later on Nov. 26, the Utes play their first road game of the season against Alabama in Tuscaloosa on ESPN2. The Crimson Tide finished 25-11 and were the NIT runners-up in 2000-01.

Utah returns to Salt Lake City to host Pepperdine on Dec. 1. The Waves went 22-9 last year and advanced to the second round of the NIT. Televised by KJZZ, this will be the second of four meetings scheduled between the two teams. The Utes defeated the Waves 69-56 last season in Malibu, Calif.

Utah plays the first contest of a home-and-home series against Arizona State on Dec. 4 at America West Arena in Phoenix. The game takes place as part of a doubleheader that will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net, concluding with Arizona taking on Illinois. Both Alabama and Arizona State are scheduled to visit the Huntsman Center next season.

After finals week, Utah will look to avenge two losses to in-state foes from last season. The Utes play Weber State in Ogden on Dec. 15 and host Southern Utah on Dec. 18. Both games will be shown on KJZZ. The Thunderbirds went 25-6 last season, won the Mid-Continent Conference title and made it to the NCAA Tournament before losing by three points to Boston College in the first round. Utah closes out its pre-holiday schedule on Dec. 21 against Idaho State, which the Utes defeated 71-65 on opening night last season.

Facing the Utes for the eighth time since 1992, Texas visits the Huntsman Center on Dec. 29 in a game that will be shown by ABC Sports. The Longhorns are coming off a 25-9 campaign in which they tied for second place in the Big 12 and received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Utes are 4-2 against Texas under Rick Majerus.

The Utes open Mountain West Conference play against UNLV in Salt Lake City on Jan. 12. Working together, Utah and Mountain West officials still managed to put together a traditional schedule of alternating home weekends during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games, which take place Feb. 8-24. The University of Utah campus is the home of the athletes' village, while the U.'s Rice-Eccles Stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Utah plays at San Diego State (Feb. 9 on ESPN+Plus) and at UNLV (Feb. 11 on ESPN) the weekend of the opening ceremonies. The middle weekend, the Utes host Air Force (Feb. 16 on KJZZ) and New Mexico (Feb. 18 on ESPN) in the Huntsman Center. Utah plays at BYU on Feb. 23 as the Games come to a close, televised by ESPN+Plus.

For the second consecutive season, the Mountain West Conference will utilize a predominant Saturday-Monday schedule. The Utes have only one Thursday game, which comes the final week of the regular season at Colorado State on Feb. 28 on KJZZ. The 2002 Mountain West Conference Tournament takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, March 7-9.

Utah has two exhibition games before the beginning of the regular season, hosting EA Sports on Nov. 1 and a foreign team still to be determined on Nov. 7.

Head Coach Rick Majerus will have a veteran team to work with when he returns to the bench after taking a leave of absence for most of the 2000-01 season. All five starters and four other letterwinners are back from last year's squad that went 19-12 overall, captured a share of the Mountain West championship and played in the NIT.

Facing a tough schedule is nothing new to the Utes. The College Basketball News RPI Report graded the Utah's 2000-01 regular season schedule the 31st strongest in the nation. Utah's strength of schedule last season was also the second-highest in the Mountain West Conference. The Utes ranked behind only New Mexico (24th), and ahead of UNLV (61th), BYU (85th) and Wyoming (96th) in the top 100.

Head Coach Rick Majerus' Comments on the 2001-02 Schedule

"In announcing this year's schedule, it is probably most apparent that for the first time in four years the Utes will not participate in a preseason tournament. The reason being is that we took the team to Europe in late May and early June. We are releasing a very good schedule this year, however, it is important that we also talk about the three subsequent years when we open the season at the Maui Invitational (2002), have two home games guaranteed for the Preseason NIT (2003) and then go to the Alaska Shootout (2004)."

"The reason that we have been seeded so high in the NCAA Tournament is our willingness to schedule nationally. Given the fact that we do not have a preseason tournament to participate in this year, I think that we have compiled a strong national schedule by lining up Alabama, Texas, Arizona State and Pepperdine, among others. Then of course we have the three in-state opponents, including Utah State and Southern Utah that appeared in last year's NCAA Tournament."

"I believe it is a rigorous schedule, and our fans will be pleased with this year's competition. And next year they can look forward to the return of Alabama and Arizona State, the continuation of the Texas series and our participation in what many feel will be the best field the Maui Invitational has ever had. The in-state opponents are all very tough. Probably the finest guard in the state, Jermaine Boyette, plays at Weber State. Utah State has an outstanding club, and I don't know if we'll face a finer offensive rebounder than Dan Beus at Southern Utah."

"Our league schedule this year will be the most demanding since I've been at Utah. From top to bottom our league has great balance. And the reality of the situation is that any one of five teams can win it. Many people are touting different clubs. So, perhaps in my tenure as the coach at Utah, we are facing the most parity that the Mountain West Conference has to offer. There are some fantastic individual stars like Mark Bigelow at BYU, Marlon Parmer at New Mexico, Randy Holcomb of San Diego State, Dalron Johnson of UNLV and Marcus Bailey at Wyoming. Wyoming has a triumvirate of seniors that have the ability to play in the NBA in Josh Davis, Uche Nsonwu-Amadi and Chris McMillian. UNLV and San Diego State, not to mention New Mexico, have tremendous depth. Air Force and Colorado State are also talent-laden. Having lost to the Falcons last year, we know all too well the potency of their offense. So, our fans should be treated to fine schedule highlighted by fantastic coaches and outstanding players."

2001-02 Utah Men's Basketball Schedule

Nov. 1      EA Sports (Exb.)             Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Nov. 7      Foreign Team (Exb.)          Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Nov. 16     St. Francis (Ill.)           Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Nov. 20     Boise State                  Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Nov. 23     Utah State                   Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZNov. 26     at Alabama                   Tuscaloosa, Ala.          6:00 p.m. (CST)   ESPN2
Dec. 1      Pepperdine                   Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZDec. 4      vs. Arizona State            Phoenix, Ariz. (1)        6:00 p.m.         Fox Sports NetDec. 8      Troy State                   Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Dec. 15     at Weber State           Ogden, Utah               7:00 p.m.         KJZZDec. 18     Southern Utah            Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZDec. 21     Idaho State                  Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZDec. 29     Texas                    Salt Lake City            1:30 p.m.         ABC
Jan. 2      Whitworth                    Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.Jan. 7      at St. Mary's (Calif.)   Moraga, Calif.            7:00 p.m. (PST)Jan. 12   * UNLV                     Salt Lake City            1:00 p.m.         ESPN+Plus/KJZZJan. 14   * San Diego State          Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZJan. 19   * at Air Force             Colorado Springs, Colo.   4:00 p.m.         KJZZJan. 21   * at New Mexico            Albuquerque, N.M.     7:00 p.m.         KJZZJan. 28   * Brigham Young            Salt Lake City           10:00 p.m.         ESPN
Feb. 2    * Colorado State           Salt Lake City            7:00 p.m.         KJZZFeb. 4    * Wyoming                  Salt Lake City           10:00 p.m.         ESPNFeb. 9    * at San Diego State           San Diego, Calif.     3:00 p.m. (PST)   ESPN+Plus/KJZZFeb. 11   * at UNLV                  Las Vegas, Nev.       9:00 p.m. (PST)   ESPNFeb. 16   * Air Force                    Salt Lake City            6:00 p.m.         KJZZFeb. 18   * New Mexico                   Salt Lake City           10:00 p.m.         ESPNFeb. 23   * at Brigham Young             Provo, Utah               1:00 p.m.         ESPN+Plus/KJZZFeb. 28   * at Colorado State            Fort Collins, Colo.       7:00 p.m.         KJZZ
Mar. 2    * at Wyoming                   Laramie, Wyo.             1:00 p.m.         ESPN+Plus/KJZZMar. 7-9    Mountain West Tournament     Las Vegas, Nev.            TBA      TBA

Dates and times tentative and subject to changeAll times Mountain Time unless otherwise notedHOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS* Mountain West Conference game(1) America West Arena in Phoenix, Ariz.

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