Utah Men's Basketball Preview - Game 3 - University of Utah Athletics

Nov. 20, 2006

UTAH RUNNIN' UTES VS. COLORADO BUFFALOES
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 ? 8:07 p.m. (MST)
Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000) ? Salt Lake City

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UTAH (0-2)Head Coach: Ray GaicolettiAlma Mater: Minot State, 1985At Utah: 43-23 (3rd Season)Career: 160-106 (10th Season)
COLORADO (1-2)Head Coach: Ricardo PattonAlma Mater: Belmont, 1980At CU: 178-142 (11th Season)Career: 178-142 (11th Season)
MEDIA COVERAGETelevision: the mtn.  Bill Doleman (play-by-play), TBA (analyst)Radio: Sports Radio 700 The Zone  Bill Riley (play-by-play), Joe Cravens (analyst),  Scott Gerrard (host)Internet Audio/Live Stats: www.UtahUtes.com Get Utah All-Access Here
THE SERIESOverall: Colorado leads 19-15Utah Home/Away/Neutral: 10-6/4-13/1-0Current Streak: Colorado has won 1Last Meeting: Colorado won 76-52 on  Dec. 7, 2005 in Boulder, Colo.

AFTER THIS Utah plays the second game of a four-game home stand against Rice on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. (MST) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Then the Utes host Weber State on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 8:07 p.m. (MST) in a game that will be televised on the mtn.

QUICKLY ON UTAH The Runnin' Utes (0-2) open a four-game home stand against the Colorado Buffaloes (1-2) on Tuesday at 8:07 p.m. (MST) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will be televised on the mtn. (Comcast 37 in Salt Lake City) and broadcast on Sports Radio 700 The Zone.

Utah has opened its season with back-to-back losses. The Utes lost to Southern Utah, 76-73, at home on Nov. 10 in their season opener, then fell to Santa Clara, 83-72, on the road last Saturday night.

The Utes return four starters and two other lettermen from last season. Utah went 14-15 overall in 2005-06 and placed sixth in the Mountain West with a 6-10 record.

Sophomore center Luke Nevill (7-1, 265) is the Utes' leading scorer (18.0 ppg) and rebounder (6.0 rpg). Freshman forward Stephen Weigh (6-6, 220) is second on the team in scoring (14.0 ppg). He is shooting 66.7 percent from the field (8-for-12), 75.0 percent (3-for-4) from three-point range and 81.8 percent (9-for-11) at the free throw line. Junior guard Johnnie Bryant (6-0, 180) is third on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg) and has connected on 44.4 percent (4-for-9) of his three-point attempts. Sophomore forward Shaun Green (6-8, 208) is the fourth Ute averaging double figures in scoring (11.0 ppg) and is second in rebounding (4.0 rpg). Senior guard/forward Ricky Johns (6-3, 190) leads the Utes in assists (3.5 apg).

RUNNIN' UTE NOTABLES ? The last time Utah started its season with two losses was in 1979-80 under Jerry Pimm. The Utes lost to Midwestern (70-69) on Nov. 30 in Salt Lake City and Weber State (91-79) on Dec. 1 in Ogden, Utah. The Runnin' Utes finished 18-10 that season.

? The last time the Utes dropped their first three games was in 1970-71 under Jack Garnder. The U. fell to Southern California (90-81) on Dec. 3 at home before dropping road games to Utah State (94-77) on Dec. 5 and Oregon State (91-75) on Dec. 7.

? Utah has allowed both of its first two opponents to shoot at least 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. Southern Utah connected on 65.2 percent of its shots overall and 60.0 percent of its three-pointers (6-for-10). Santa Clara shot 60.4 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (8-for-16).

? Six of the 12 players who have seen action in both of Utah's first two games are in their first year on the court with the Runnin' Utes.

SCOUTING COLORADO
The Buffaloes are 1-2 overall and 0-1 on the road this season. Colorado won its season opener over Denver at home (78-64) on Nov. 10, then lost its last two games to Mountain West Conference teams. The Buffs lost at New Mexico (106-65) last Tuesday and lost to Air Force at home (84-46) last Saturday.

Junior guard Richard Roby (6-6, 205), an all-Big 12 Conference first team selection last season, leads the Buffaloes in scoring (12.7 ppg). Sophomore forward Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (6-5, 220) is second in scoring (10.3 ppg) and first in rebounding (10.7 rpg). He sat out last season after transferring from Ohio State. Senior guard Dominique Coleman (6-3, 180) is the third CU player averaging double figures in points and leads the team in assists (3.7 apg).

HEAD COACH RICARDO PATTON
Ricardo Patton is in his 11th and final season as the head coach at Colorado with a 178-142 record. Coming to CU as an assistant coach in 1993, Patton moved up the Colorado coaching ranks, first to interim head coach and then to head coach. Patton was named interim head coach in January of 1996, when he replaced Joe Harrington. He was promoted to head coach less than two months later on March 5 just before the Big Eight Conference tournament.

In Patton's first full season as head coach (1996-97), he led the Buffaloes to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1969. The team finished second in the conference and racked up the most victories in program history with 22. Patton was named the West Region Coach of the Year by Basketball Times.

Patten led Colorado to the NCAA Tournament again in 2003. The Buffaloes advanced to the NIT in 2006, falling to Old Dominion in the first round. Colorado also reached the 20-wins plateau last season for the first time since 2002-03 and the fourth time in the history of CU basketball.

UTAH VS. COLORADO SERIES NOTES
? Utah and Colorado meet for the 35th time on Tuesday night. Colorado leads the all-time series 19-15.

? The Utes and Buffaloes are meeting for the fourth year in a row. Utah won 77-57 on Dec. 23, 2003 in Boulder, Colo., then rolled to an 80-48 win on Dec. 30, 2004 in the Huntsman Center in Ray Giacoletti's first season. The Buffaloes defeated the Utes last year 76-52 on Dec. 7 to break the Utes two-game winning streak in the series.

? The two teams also played six years in a row from 1983-88, but then did not meet again until the 2003-04 season.

? The U. has a 10-6 edge in games played in Salt Lake City and has won six in a row over the Buffs at home. The last time Colorado won in Salt Lake City was Feb. 15, 1946 by a 48-42 score.

? Utah has won six of the last 10 games in the series, but neither team has won more than two in a row during that stretch.

? Ray Giacoletti is 1-1 against Colorado.

? Ricardo Patton is 1-2 against Utah.

? Utah is 36-35 all-time against Big 12 Conference teams, including a 21-11 mark at home. Colorado is the Big 12 team the Utes have faced the most.

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Utah Men's Basketball Preview - Game 3

Players Mentioned

Johnnie Bryant

Shaun Green

Ricky Johns

Luke Nevill

Stephen Weigh

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