Utah Men's Basketball Notes - Game #9 - University of Utah Athletics

Dec. 19, 2002

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Game #9

Utah Runnin' Utes (5-3) vs. Pepperdine Waves (5-3)

Dec. 20 * 7:37 p.m. (PST) * Firestone Fieldhouse (3,104) * Malibu, Calif.

The Game at a Glance

Utah Head Coach: Rick Majerus       Pepperdine Head Coach: Paul WestphalAlma Mater: Marquette, 1970         Alma Mater: USC, 1972Record at Utah: 288-85/14th Season  Record at Pepperdine: 27-12/2nd SeasonCareer Record: 387-137/19th Season  Career Record: 111-39/5th Season
Television: KJZZ-TV (Channel 14, AT&T Cable 3) in Salt Lake City.Steve Brown (play-by-play) and Mark Eaton (analyst).
Radio: Utah Sports Network (KALL-910 AM in Salt Lake City and affiliate stations).On the Internet at www.UtahUtes.com and www.kall910.com.Bill Marcroft (play-by-play), Mark Rydalch (analyst) and Brad Stone (host).
Series Record: Utah leads 3-1Utah Home/Away/Neutral: 2-0/1-0/0-1Last Meeting: Utah defeated Pepperdine 81-74 on Dec. 1, 2001 in Salt Lake City.

Looking Ahead

Utah wraps-up its West Coast swing at San Diego on Monday, Dec. 23 at 7:05 p.m. (PST). The Runnin' Utes then take a week off for Christmas before facing No. 2 Alabama in the Huntsman Center on Dec. 30 at 7:07 p.m. (MST).

From the Training Room: Johnsen Out At Least 3-4 Weeks

* Senior forward Britton Johnsen, a Wooden Award candidate and the 2001-02 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb on Wednesday in Salt Lake City. He is expected to be out at least 3-4 weeks. Johnsen sustained the injury early in the first half of Utah's contest at Utah State on Tuesday night, but finished the game.

* Sophomore guard Marc Jackson sprained his right ankle on Nov. 17 and is still recovering. Although he played at Utah State on Tuesday, he has missed three games. Jackson is listed as probable for the Pepperdine game.

Quickly On Utah

The Utes (5-3) play the second of three straight road games against Pepperdine (5-3) on Friday at 7:37 p.m. (PST) at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. The game will be televised on KJZZ-TV in Salt Lake City and broadcast on KALL-910 AM and the Utah Sports Network.

After starting the season 2-2, Utah had won three in a row before falling to Utah State 59-54 on Tuesday night in Logan, Utah. In their final home game before the road swing, the Runnin' Utes defeated Northern Iowa 75-53 last Saturday afternoon in the Huntsman Center. Utah is 1-3 away from home this season.

Three Utes are averaging double figures in scoring. Senior forward Britton Johnsen (6-10, 210), who is out at least 3-4 weeks with a thumb injury, paces Utah in both scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg). Junior center Tim Frost (6-10, 236) is second in scoring (13.1 ppg) and is shooting 52.5 percent from the field. Junior guard Nick Jacobson (6-4, 200) ranks third in scoring (11.9 ppg), and is shooting 44.7 percent from three-point range (21-for-47) and 92.3 percent from the free throw line. Freshman point guard Tim Drisdom (6-3, 203) leads the Utes in assists (4.1 apg) and three-point percentage (55.0).

Scouting Pepperdine

The Waves are 5-3 after winning two in a row and five of the last six. Pepperdine captured the Stanford Invitational earlier this week, defeating Richmond 83-77 in the first round and Montana 86-69 in the title game on Tuesday. The Waves are 1-2 at home this season.

Four players are averaging double-figures in points. Senior forward Jimmy Miggins (6-6, 200) leads the team in scoring (17.8 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) and is second in rebounding (6.3 rpg). Sophomore guard Terrance Johnson (6-5, 190) is second in scoring (15.9 ppg), shooting 53.1 percent from three-point range (26-of-49). Senior guard Devin Montgomery (6-0, 180) is third in scoring (13.3 ppg) and first in field goal percentage (57.1). Senior forward Boomer Brazzle (6-7, 230) is fourth in scoring (12.2 ppg) and first in rebounding (6.9 rpg).

Head Coach Paul Westphal

Paul Westphal is 27-12 in his second season at Pepperdine. Last season, he led the Waves to a 22-9 overall record, a tie for first place in the West Coast Conference with a 13-1 record and the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Westphal went to Pepperdine from the NBA. He coached the Phoenix Suns for three-plus seasons, compiling a 191-88 record and taking the team to the 1993 NBA Finals. He was the Seattle Supersonics' head coach for two-plus seasons beginning in 1998, going 76-71. Before moving to the NBA, Westphal was the head coach at Southwestern Baptist College in Phoenix (1985-86) going 21-9. He was also the head coach at Grand Canyon College in Phoenix (1986-88), posting a 63-18 mark and leading them to the NAIA national title in his final season. As a college player at USC, Westphal was a three-time all-Pac-8 performer and a two-time All-American.

Utah-Pepperdine Series Notes

* The Utes and Waves meet for the fifth time on Friday with Utah holding a 3-1 edge in the series. This is the third consecutive year the teams have met as part of a four-game series.

* Utah won its only previous game in the series in Malibu, 69-56, on Dec. 19, 2000. Dick Hunsaker was Utah's acting head coach that season.

* Last season, Utah defeated Pepperdine 81-74 on Dec. 1 in Salt Lake City. It was the Utes' second win in the series at home.

* Rick Majerus is 1-0 against Pepperdine with his first game against the Waves coming last season.

* Pepperdine is the second of four West Coast Conference teams this Utes will face this season. Utah also plays at San Diego on Monday and hosts Saint Mary's on Jan. 6. The Utes lost to Gonzaga in the first round of the Maui Invitational.

* Utah is 47-16 all-time against West Coast Conference teams.

Last Meeting

Nick Jacobson scored 22 points as Utah beat Pepperdine 81-74 in on Dec. 1, 2001 in Salt Lake City. Jacobson had five three-pointers. Chris Burgess scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds as the Utes rebounded from back-to-back losses.

The loss brought the Waves back down to earth after their 85-78 upset of No. 10 UCLA three nights earlier. Jimmy Miggins paced Pepperdine with 17 points and Terrance Johnson added 16.

The Utes made 10-of-14 from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Waves 41-26 to overcome 18 turnovers. Pepperdine's press was rattling the Utes midway through the second half. Utah's 16-point lead had withered to 61-57 when Jacobson and Jeff Johnsen got breakaway layups on Utah's press-breaker and Jacobson connected on his fifth three-pointer of the game as Utah led 72-58 with 7:58 to play. Britton Johnsen, who scored 14 points, made two free throws and Utah held an 80-62 advantage with 2:56 to play before the Waves mounted a late 12-1 run after the game was out of reach.

Early in the second half, the Utes seemed to be in firm control as Jacobson hit a three-pointer and Utah was up 51-35. But Miggins came back from a poor first half-two points on 1-of-7 shooting-to score 11 of the Waves' first 17 points of the second half, closing the gap to 56-50. Leading 31-29 with 4:24 left in the first half, Utah finished the period with a flurry. Phil Cullen made a pair of three-pointers in a 13-4 surge to give the Utes a 44-33 lead at halftime.

Game #8 Rewind

Despite a 7-0 run by the Utes with less than five minutes left in the game, Utah State managed to hold off the Utes 59-54 for its third straight win in the series. Nick Jacobson was 8-for-10 from the floor and scored 21 to lead Utah. Britton Johnsen added 12 points and Tim Frost scored nine and had seven rebounds for the Utes, who led 11-2 to open the game.

Mark Brown scored 15 points and Desmond Penigar added 13 points and seven rebounds. The Aggies (6-2) were 20-for-43 from the floor and snapped a two game losing streak while ending their state rival's three-game winning streak.

The Aggies went a span of seven minutes without a field goal, but Ronnie Ross sparked the offense with back-to-back three-pointers that started a run of 13 unanswered points. A field goal by Penigar tied the game 14, and the Aggies never trailed again. Utah State led 31-22 at halftime.

Jacobson was the only Utah player to score in the last 13 minutes in the first half and his three-pointer was the only points Utah would tally in the last five minutes.

Utah shot 50 percent from the field, hit 7-of-17 three-pointers (41.2 percent) and outrebounded USU 28 to 25.

Inside the Numbers

* In four of the five wins, Utah has held its opponent to under 40 percent shooting from the field. The Utes have outshot their opponents 49.1 to 36.5 percent in its wins. No team has shot 50 percent from the field on Utah this season.

* The Utes have kept their opponents off the free throw line in their five wins, allowing 61 attempts while making 88 trips themselves. In the three losses, the opposite has been the case with the opponents outshooting Utah at the free throw line 122 to 42, making 82.

* The Utes have outrebounded their opponents in all five wins by an average of 35.0 to 31.6. In two of the three losses, Utah has been on the negative side of that stat. Its rebound deficit in losses is 34.0 to 30.3.

* Winthrop shot 27.3 percent (15-for-55) from the field, which was the sixth-worst mark by a Ute opponent all-time. It was the Utes' best defensive effort since Concordia shot 20.3 percent, the lowest mark by a Ute opponent all-time, on Dec. 26, 2000.

* Winthrop's 42 points were the lowest allowed by the Utes in 22 games since Saint Mary's (Calif.) scored 35 points on Jan. 7, 2002.

* Utah's point guards, freshman Tim Drisdom and sophomore Marc Jackson, have combined for 34 assists and 19 turnovers for a 1.79 assist/turnover ratio. Drisdom had a career-high seven assists against Northern Iowa on Dec. 14.

* Utah has had a positive assist/turnover ratio in six games this season, including five games in a row before having 12 turnovers to 10 assists against Utah State on Tuesday. The Utes had a season-low nine turnovers with a season-high 20 assists on 27 field goals against Northern Iowa on Dec. 14.

Great Britton: Wooden Award Candidate Out

Senior forward Britton Johnsen (6-10, 210), named to the Wooden Award Preseason All-America Team, injured his right thumb on Dec. 17 and will be out 3-4 weeks. Johnsen is one of 50 players in the nation considered early candidates for John R. Wooden Award, presented annually to college basketball's player of the year.

* Johnsen had scored in double figures in seven of the first eight games, leading Utah in scoring three times. Dating back to the 2000-01 season, Johnsen has scored in double figures in 45 of the last 63 contests he's played in.

* The Murray, Utah, native had his second double-double of the season with a game-high 10 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes in the win over UMass on Nov. 26. He has had seven double-doubles in the last 23 games dating back to last season.

* Johnsen led Utah in rebounding in five of the first eight games this season, averaging 6.8 boards per contest. He also led the Utes in rebounding 14 of the final 20 games last season, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game during that stretch.

* Johnsen had his best overall game of the season in the overtime loss to Arizona State on Nov. 27. He had a season-high 23 points to lead the Utes, shooting 9-of-18 from the field and 4-of-7 from the free throw line. Johnsen also had a team-best seven rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes. His 23-point effort was his best in 16 games dating back to last season.

* Last season, Johnsen was named Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and USBWA District 8 Player of the Year, and made the NABC/Pontiac All-District 13 first team. Johnsen was second on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg) and first in rebounding (6.3 rpg), ranking 13th and eighth in the Mountain West Conference in those categories, respectively. He also ranked 12th in field goal percentage (49.6) and 15th in three-point percentage (35.6) in the MWC.

Jacobson Stroking "J"s

Junior guard Nick Jacobson (6-4, 200) is Utah's third-best scorer this season (11.9 ppg) and paces the team in three-pointers made, making 21-of-47 (44.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

* Jacobson, with 21 points against Utah State, reached 20 points for the sixth time in his career and the second time in eight games this season. He shot 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range in 38 minutes. Jacobson also had 21 points against UMass in the Maui Invitational.

* In the final 2001-02 NCAA statistical rankings, Jacobson was 23rd in three-point percentage (44.4). The Fargo, N.D., native was named third team all-Mountain West and second team NABC/Pontiac All-District 13 in 2001-02. Jacobson led the team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and three-point percentage (44.4). He scored in double figures in 21 of the 30 games last season.

* Also last season, Jacobson set the Utah single-season mark with 71 three-pointers made last season, bettering the mark of 68 by Phil Dixon in 1991-92. He also ranked third in three-point attempts (160).

* Jacobson has already climbed into sixth place in career three-pointers made (129) and sixth in three-pointers attempted (304) at Utah. His career three-point percentage of 42.0 entering this season would have ranked fourth all-time at Utah.

Frost Formidable Inside

Junior center Tim Frost (6-10, 236) has established himself as a formidable interior presence early in his first season with the Utes.

* Frost is second on the team in scoring (13.1 ppg), reaching double figures in four games consecutive games before getting nine points against both Northern Iowa and Utah State. Frost is shooting 52.5 percent from the field. He is also averaging 24.4 minutes and 4.4 rebounds per game and has four blocked shots.

* Frost had season-highs of 18 points, making 8-of-12 shots from the field, and seven rebounds in just 23 minutes against Arizona State on Dec. 7.

* The Klamath Falls, Ore., native spent the first two seasons of his college career at Portland. He was a first team all-West Coast Conference selection in his final season with the Pilots, averaging 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game.

Rating the Rookies

With only four lettermen returning from last season and 10 scholarship players on the roster, Rick Majerus has played his freshmen extensively early in the season. Here's a breakdown of how the quartet of Richard Chaney (G/F, 6-4, 186), Tim Drisdom (G, 6-3, 203), Chris Jackson (C, 6-11, 242) and Bryant Markson (F, 6-6, 182) have been producing.

* Drisdom, who's started every game at point guard, leads the Utes in assists (4.1 apg) and three-point percentage (55.0), making 11-of-20.

* Chaney (6.5 ppg) and Drisdom (5.5 ppg) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, on the team in scoring. Markson is (4.1 ppg) is seventh.

* Drisdom (3.8 rpg) and Chaney (3.1 rpg) are third and fourth, respectively, in rebounding.

* All four freshmen are shooting above 40 percent from the field, with Chaney at 48.8 percent, Drisdom at 43.8 percent, Jackson at 66.7 percent and Markson at 50.0 percent.

Take Note of These Utes

* Bryant Markson reached double figures for the the first time as a Ute against Arizona State on Dec. 7. He had 10 points, shooting 4-of-6 from the field, in 12 minutes.

* Richard Chaney reached double-figures in points for the first time with 15 points against Winthrop. He also had personal-best marks with five rebounds and two assists. Chaney had his second-best scoring game with 14 points against Northern Iowa, hitting 3-of-7 three-pointers and 5-of-10 shots overall.

* Tim Drisdom had career highs of 11 points, making 3-of-8 three-pointers, and seven assists against Northern Iowa. He set a career-high with six rebounds against Winthrop.

* Chris Jackson set personal-best marks with six points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots against Winthrop.

Getting Defensive

One of the trademarks of a Utah team during the Rick Majerus era is a stifling half-court defense. Since 1989-90, Utah has ranked in the top 30 in the nation 10 times in scoring defense, nine times in rebound margin, eight times in field goal percentage defense and eight times in scoring margin.

* This season, Utah ranks 18th in the NCAA in scoring defense (57.7 ppg) as of Dec. 16.

* Utah has not allowed an opponent to score 80 points in 71 consecutive games that have ended in regulation. The last team to score 80 points on the Utes in a 40-minute game was Wyoming (88-61) on Feb. 28, 2000 in Laramie, Wyo.

* An opponent reached the 80-point mark on Utah for the first time in 70 games in its 83-79 overtime loss to Arizona State on Nov. 27.

* Last season, Utah ranked 13th in the NCAA in scoring defense (61.3).

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Utah Men's Basketball Notes - Game #9

Game #9

Players Mentioned

Richard Chaney

Tim Drisdom

Chris Jackson

Marc Jackson

Bryant Markson

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Utah Men's Basketball Notes - Game #9

Game #9

Players Mentioned

Richard Chaney

Tim Drisdom

Chris Jackson

Marc Jackson

Bryant Markson

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