Utah Men's Basketball Preview - Game 19 - University of Utah Athletics

Jan. 18, 2007

UTAH RUNNIN' UTES VS. WYOMING COWBOYS
Saturday, January 20, 2007 ? 1:05 p.m. (MST)
Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000) ? Salt Lake City

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UTAH (6-12, 1-4)Head Coach: Ray GiacolettiAlma Mater: Minot State, 1985At Utah: 49-33 (3rd Season)Career: 166-116 (10th Season)
WYOMING (11-7, 2-2)Head Coach: Steve McClainAlma Mater: Chadron State, 1984At UW: 151-107 (9th Season)Career: 151-107 (9th Season)
MEDIA COVERAGETelevision: The mtn. (Comcast 37)  Steve Brown (play-by-play), Joe Cravens (analyst)Radio: Sports Radio 700 The Zone  Bill Riley (play-by-play), Mark Rydalch (analyst),  Scott Gerrard (host)Internet Audio/Live Stats: www.UtahUtes.com Get Utah All-Access Here
THE SERIESOverall: Utah leads 89-71Utah Home/Away/Neutral: 56-22/31-46/2-3Current Streak: Wyoming has won 1Last Meeting: Wyoming won 60-47 on March 10, 2006  in the MWC semifinals in Denver, Colo.

QUICKLY ON UTAH
The Runnin' Utes (6-12, 1-4 MWC) look to build on their first conference win when they host the Wyoming Cowboys (11-7, 2-2 MWC) on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. (MST) at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The game will be televised by The mtn--MountainWest Sports Network (Comcast 37 in Salt Lake City) and broadcast on Sports Radio 700 The Zone.

Utah defeated No. 13 Air Force, 85-79, on Tuesday night in Salt Lake City to break a six-game losing streak. The Runnin' Utes lost a pair of road games last week, falling to Colorado State, 73-57, on Jan. 9 and New Mexico, 86-82 in overtime, on Jan. 13. Utah is 5-4 at home this season and 1-1 in conference play.

Sophomore center Luke Nevill (7-1, 265) is the Utes' leading scorer (17.3 ppg) and rebounder (8.2 rpg). He is shooting 66.5 percent from the field, 77.9 percent from the free throw line, and also has a team-best 15 blocked shots. Junior guard Johnnie Bryant (6-0, 180) is second on the team in scoring (15.9 ppg), and has connected on 44.7 percent (59-for-132) of his 3-point attempts and 77.6 percent of his free throws. Bryant leads the team in assists (2.66 apg). Sophomore forward Shaun Green (6-8, 208) is third on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg), and is second in both assists (2.16 apg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg). He is shooting 57.0 percent from the field and 57.0 percent (49-for-86) from 3-point range. Green also leads the Utes in steals (23) and is second in blocked shots (9).

In the latest NCAA statistical rankings released on Jan. 16, Utah ranked fifth in 3-point percentage (43.5), 24th in field goal percentage (49.0), 45th in 3-pointers made per game (8.0), 60th in free throw percentage (72.2), 58th in turnovers per game (13.5) and 56th in rebound margin (+4.5 rpg). Green ranked first in the nation in 3-point percentage (56.8) and 71st in 3-pointers made per game (2.7). Nevill was fifth in field goal percentage (64.8), 87th in points per game (17.2) and 73rd in rebounds per game (8.1). Bryant was 25th in 3-pointers made per game (3.2) and 49th in 3-point percentage (43.7).

RUNNIN' UTE NOTABLES
? Seven of the 13 Utes who have seen action this season are first-year players. Six of those players are freshmen. The nine freshmen and sophomores who have played have accounted for 69.6 percent of Utah's points, 68.5 percent of its rebounds, 62.6 percent of its assists and 68.9 percent of its minutes.

? Eight of Utah's 12 losses have come by a combined 19 points. The Utes have lost three games by one point, four by three points and one by four points. Three of Utah's losses have been in overtime.

? The Utes have shot at least 50 percent from 3-point range nine times and at least 50 percent from the field eight times in 18 games this season.

? Utah is 0-7 this season when opponents shoot at least 50 percent from the field and 4-11 when they shoot at least 40 percent from 3-point range.

? The Runnin' Utes dropped their first four conference games for the first time since the 1952-53 season.

? Utah (6-12) has its worst record through 18 games since also going 6-12 in 1972-73.

? Before defeating Air Force (85-79) on Tuesday night, the Utes' six-game losing streak was tied for the fifth longest in school history. The last time Utah had a losing streak of at least six games was Jan. 27 through Feb. 10, 1950, when the Runnin' Utes dropped seven in a row.

SCOUTING WYOMING
The Cowboys are 11-7 overall and 2-2 in Mountain West Conference play. Wyoming is coming off an 89-81 loss at BYU on Tuesday night. Last week in a pair of home games, UW defeated UNLV, 86-76 in overtime, on Jan. 10 and lost to Air Force, 58-56, on Jan. 13. The Cowboys are 4-6 away from home and 2-3 on opponents' home courts this season.

Sophomore guard Brandon Ewing (6-2, 190) leads the `Pokes in scoring (21.2 ppg), shooting 35.5 percent (33-for-93) from 3-point range and 81.6 percent at the free throw line. Junior guard Brad Jones (6-0, 170) is second in scoring (16.0 ppg), first in assists (4.1 apg) and first in steals (29). Junior forward James Spencer (6-4, 195) is the third Cowboy averaging double figures in points (12.6 ppg). Spencer leads UW in 3-point (45.1, 32-for-71) and free throw (84.8) percentage. Senior center Daaron Brown (6-9, 260) is the team's leading rebounder (7.6 rpg).

Wyoming ranks fourth in the Mountain West Conference in scoring offense (76.2 ppg), ninth in scoring defense (74.1 ppg), sixth in rebound margin (+1.1 rpg), seventh in 3-point percentage (36.2) and seventh in turnover margin (-1.67)

COMPARING THE NUMBERS

             Utah   WyomingOverall Record  6-12    11-7MWC Record  1-4 2-2Scoring          71.2   76.2Scoring Defense 70.8    74.1FG%          .501   .470FG% Defense .494    .4413-Pt. FG%            .441   .3623-Pt. FG% Defense   .470    .330FT%          .730   .719Rebound Margin  +4.7    +1.1Assists          14.6   11.5Turnovers            13.8   15.9Opp. Turnovers  11.6    14.2Steals           4.9    6.5Blocked Shots   1.9 3.6

HEAD COACH STEVE McCLAIN
Steve McClain has a 151-107 career record in his ninth season at Wyoming. McClain's team had posted three consecutive 20-win seasons before averaging 13 wins the past three seasons.

The Cowboys went 21-11 overall and advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2002-03. In 2001-02, McClain led the Cowboys to a 22-9 record and an 11-3 mark in league play to claim UW's second consecutive Mountain West title. Wyoming also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. McClain's team went 20-10 in 2000-01 and finished in a three-way tie with Utah and BYU for the MWC title at 10-4, capturing the Pokes' first conference title in 15 seasons. He has led three Wyoming teams to the NIT and one to the NCAA's.

Prior to going to Wyoming, McClain served as an assistant coach for Billy Tubbs at TCU. During his four seasons at TCU, McClain helped the Horned Frogs to one NIT appearance (1997), one NCAA appearance (1998) and one conference title (1998). In 1994 as the head coach at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, he led his team to the National Junior College Championship while earning NJCAA National Coach of the Year honors.

UTAH VS. WYOMING SERIES NOTES
? Utah and Wyoming have met 160 times in a series that dates back to a 41-25 win by Utah on March 11, 1914 in Laramie, Wyo. Other than not meeting during the 1996-97 and `98-99 seasons, the Runnin' Utes and Cowboys have met every year since 1943-44.

? Utah leads the all-time series 89-71. The Utes had taken four in a row over the Cowboys before losing 60-47 last season in the MWC Tournament semifinals on March 10 in Denver, Colo.

? In conference regular-season play, Utah has a 75-60 advantage. Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999-2000, Utah leads 8-5.

? In Salt Lake City, the Utes are 56-22, winning 11 of the last 12. Wyoming's last win in the Huntsman Center was 54-46 on Feb. 4, 2002, ending a string of seven straight road losses to the Utes. Utah has taken its last four home games over Wyoming, including a 79-70 victory last season on March 4.

? Ray Giacoletti is 4-2 against Wyoming. Giacoletti has led the Utes to four wins and one loss against the `Pokes. His Eastern Washington team lost to the Cowboys 78-71 in Laramie, Wyo., in the first round of the NIT on March 20, 2003.

? Steve McClain is 6-9 against Utah with all of his games coming during his tenure at Wyoming.

AFTER THIS
The Runnin' Utes have a week off before playing the San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3:05 p.m. (PST) in San Diego, Calif. The game will be televised nationally on CSTV. Utah then returns home host the BYU Cougars on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 8:05 p.m. (MST) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

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