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

Dec. 15, 2004

Game #9

Utah Runnin' Utes (5-3) vs. Northern Colorado Bears (2-10)
Dec. 17 ? 7:05 p.m. (MST) ? Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000) ? Salt Lake City

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The Game at a Glance

Utah Head Coach: Ray Giacoletti      UNC Head Coach: Craig RasmusonAlma Mater: Minot State, 1985        Alma Mater: Ashland, 1990Record at Utah: 5-3 (1st Season)     Record at UNC: 52-94 (6th Season)Overall Record: 122-86 (8th Season)  Overall Record: 118-160 (11th Season)
Television: None.Radio: Utah Sports Network(Hot Ticket 700/KALL-AM in Salt Lake City and affiliate stations).On the Internet at www.UtahUtes.com and www.HotTicket700.com.Matt Thomas (play-by-play), Mark Rydalch (analyst) and Bill Riley (host).
Series Record: Utah leads 5-4Utah's Record Home/Away/Neutral: 3-0/2-4/0-0Last Meeting: Utah won 63-59 on Jan. 3, 1953 in Salt Lake City

After This
The Runnin' Utes host Coppin State on Monday, Dec. 20 at 7:05 p.m. in Salt Lake City, then close out their pre-Chirstmas schedule against Cal Poly on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 7:05 p.m. (PST) in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Quickly On Utah
Utah (5-3) opens a two-game homestand against Northern Colorado (2-10) on Friday at 7:05 p.m. (MST) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000). The game will be broadcast on Hot Ticket 700 (KALL-AM) and the Utah Sports Network. The Utes are 3-0 at home this season.

Last week, the Utes defeated Montana-Western 98-63 on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City and fell to No. 15 Arizona 67-62 on Saturday afternoon in Tucson, Ariz.

Sophomore center/forward Andrew Bogut (7-0, 240) leads the Utes in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounding (9.9 rpg), blocked shots (17) and field goal percentage (.619). Bogut has five double-doubles this season. Senior guard Marc Jackson (6-1, 175) is second in scoring (12.0 ppg), hitting a team-best 60.0 percent of his three-point attempts (15-of-25) and 87.9 percent of his free throws. Junior forward/guard Richard Chaney (6-4, 195) is third on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg). Sophomore forward Justin Hawkins (6-5, 220) is the fourth Ute averaging double figures in points (10.5 ppg) and is second in rebounding (4.4 rpg). Junior guard Tim Drisdom (6-3, 210) leads the Utes in assists (3.9 apg) and has a 2.38 assists to turnover ratio.

From The Training Room
Junior forward/guard Richard Chaney has been bothered by a sore right ankle for the past three weeks. The injury has flared up once again and Chaney has not been able to practice this week. Chaney is questionable for the Northern Colorado game on Friday.

Scouting The Bears
Northern Colorado is 2-10 overall and 0-7 on the road this season. The Bears have lost three in a row--all coming on the road--to New Mexico (86-52) on Dec. 9, Oklahoma (80-44) on Dec. 11 and Oral Roberts (78-54) on Tuesday night. Its two wins came against Western State (76-58) on Nov. 30 and Great Falls (80-49) on Dec. 4. Northern Colorado competes as an independent and is in its second year of a four-year reclassification process to the NCAA Division I level.

Freshman guard Sean Taibi (6-3, 191) has started only three games this season but leads UNC in scoring (9.7 ppg) while shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range (15-for-39). Sophomore guard Matt Kline (5-11, 180) is second in scoring (8.5 ppg), shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc (20-for-51), and first in assists (3.1 apg). Junior forward Erik Olson (6-4, 207) is tied for third in scoring (7.3 ppg) and is the Bears' leading rebounder (5.7 rpg).

Head Coach Craig Rasmuson
Craig Rasmuson is 52-94 in his sixth season at UNC and 118-160 in his 11th year as a head coach. He led the Bears to a 14-13 record in 2001-02 for his only winning season at UNC. Before making the move to Greeley, Colo., he spent five years as the head coach at Lincoln Memorial University.

Utah vs. UNC Series Notes
? Utah leads the all-time series with Northern Colorado 5-4. Utah has won four win a row in the series.

? The two teams last met on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, 1953 in Salt Lake City. The Utes won the first of the back-to-back games 77-52 and the second game 65-59.

? The Utes are 3-0 against the Bears in Salt Lake City. In addition to the two wins in 1953, Utah also won 44-37 on Dec. 27, 1934.

? Utah's last loss in the series was 31-27 on Dec. 30, 1931 in Greeley, Colo.

? Ray Giacoletti is 3-3 all-time against Northern Colorado, including a 2-1 mark in home games. All six of those games took place in while Giacoletti was the head coach at NCAA Division II North Dakota State.

Boasting Of Bogut
Sophomore forward Andrew Bogut (7-0, 240) has been named to the 2004 John R. Wooden Preseason All-America Team and is a preseason candidate for the Naismith Award. Last season, Bogut was honored as the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, second team all-MWC, and second team All-District 13 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He also made the CollegeInsider.com all-freshman team.

? Bogut has had double-doubles in five of the eight games this season to bring his career total to 19. He has scored in double figures all eight games. Bogut leads the Utes in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounds (9.9 rpg), blocked shots (17) and field goal percentage (61.9). He is also second in assists (3.0 apg), and is shooting 73.7 percent from the free throw line.

? In the NCAA statistical rankings released on Dec. 14, Bogut was 30th in field goal percentage (61.9) and 19th in rebounds per game (9.9 rpg).

? Against No. 15 Arizona last Saturday, Bogut had his second 20-point game and fifth double-double of the season with 20 points (8-10 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 2-2 FT) and 10 rebounds. He also had three assists in 36 minutes. In his career, it was his fifth 20-point game and 19th double-double.

Jackson Back In Action
Senior guard Marc Jackson (6-1, 175) has rejoined the team for his senior year after electing to take off the 2003-04 season. Through eight games this season, the Salt Lake City native has scored in double figures five times. He leads the Utes in three-point percentage (60.0), making 15-of-25 from beyond the arc. Jackson is second on the team in both scoring (12.0 ppg) and free throw percentage (87.9).

? Jackson had the fourth 20-point game of his career against Stony Brook on Nov. 19, missing his career high of 21 by one point.

? Before getting eight points against Arizona last Saturday, he had scored in double figures the previous two games. Jackson had the 18th double-figure scoring game of his career with 11 points (4-5 FG, 2-3 3-FG) against Montana-Western on Dec. 8. Jackson had 15 points against Utah State on Dec. 4 when he went 5-for-6 from the field, 3-for-4 from three-point range and 2-for-2 at the free throw line.

? Jackson had a season-high five assists against No. 15 Arizona, marking the sixth time in his career he had at least five assists in a game. Jackson also gave a great defensive effort against the Wildcats. Guarding Salim Stoudamire in the Utes' box-and-one defense, Jackson held the senior guard, who was averaging 16.0 points per game, scoreless with just one shot.

They've Got The License To Shoot
In order to take a three-point shot, Utah players have to earn their license first. A Ute player earns his "License to Shoot" from the coaching staff by making 35 of 50 three-pointers from all over the floor during a drill that can be attempted once a day before the season. It must be completed five times. Utes who have earned their "License to Shoot" for 2004-05 are Andrew Bogut, Richard Chaney, Tim Drisdom, Casey Iverson, Justin Hawkins, Marc Jackson, Jonas Langvad and Bryant Markson.

? Utah is shooting 37.1 percent from three-point range this season. The Utes have shot 40 percent or better three times this year, hitting 40.0 percent (4-of-10) against Stony Brook, 58.3 percent (7-of-12) against High Point, and 44.4 percent (4-of-11) versus Montana-Western.

? The leading three-point shooter on the team is Marc Jackson, who is hitting 60.0 percent (15-of-25) from beyond the arc. Bryant Markson is shooting 40.0 percent (6-for-15) from three-point land, Andrew Bogut (2-of-6) and Tim Drisdom (3-of-9) are both shooting 33.3 percent, and Richard Chaney is at 31.3 percent (5-of-16).

? The Utes' proficiency from three-point range has helped them shoot 52.0 percent from the field on the season. Utah ranked ninth in the NCAA in field goal percentage (52.0) as of Dec. 14. The U. has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in four games: Washington (50.0), Furman (53.7), Southern Utah (57.8), and Montana-Western (65.0)

? Utah has made a three-pointer in each of the last 40 games. The Utes had made a three-pointer in 152 consecutive games before going 0-for-8 against Georgia State in a 46-38 win on Nov. 17, 2003. The last time Utah didn't make a three before then was during an 0-for-12 outing at Long Beach State on Dec. 5, 1998.

? The Utes have ranked in the top 35 in the nation in three-point percentage four times in the last five years. Utah ranked 21st in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage (38.7) in 2003-04. That accuracy also helped the Utes rank 30th in the nation in field goal percentage (47.1) last season.

Getting It Done At The Free Throw Line
The Utes have done an excellent job of getting to the free throw line and converting this season. Through eight games, Utah is shooting 76.2 percent from the charity stripe, leading the Mountain West Conference in that category. The U. ranked 21st in the NCAA in free throw percentage (76.2) as of Dec. 14. The Utes have made 128 free throws while their opponents have attempted just 115.

? Five Utes are shooting over 70 percent from the line this season: Tim Drisdom (91.7), Marc Jackson (87.9), Richard Chaney (80.0), Justin Hawkins (74.1) and Andrew Bogut (73.7).

Inside the Numbers
Utah is 4-1 when leading at halftime and 5-1 when leading with 5:00 remaining in the second half this season. The U.'s only loss on both of those categories was to Arizona on Dec. 11. ... Before its 67-62 loss to Arizona, Utah was 5-0 when holding opponents to less than 70 points per game this season.

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Utah Men's Basketball Notes - Game #9

Game #9

Players Mentioned

Andrew Bogut

Richard Chaney

Tim Drisdom

Justin Hawkins

Casey Iverson

Marc Jackson

Jonas Langvad

Bryant Markson

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Utah Men's Basketball Notes - Game #9

Game #9

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Players Mentioned

Andrew Bogut

Richard Chaney

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Justin Hawkins

Casey Iverson

Marc Jackson

Jonas Langvad

Bryant Markson

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