Utah Men's Basketball Preview - Game 27 - University of Utah Athletics

Feb. 23, 2007

UTAH RUNNIN' UTES VS. NEW MEXICO LOBOS
Saturday, February 24, 2007 ? 3:35 p.m. (MST)
Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,000) ? Salt Lake City

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UTAH (9-17, 4-9)Head Coach: Ray GiacolettiAlma Mater: Minot State, 1985At Utah: 53-37 (3rd Season)Career: 170-120 (10th Season)
NEW MEXICO (15-13, 4-9)Head Coach: Ritchie McKayAlma Mater: Seattle Pacific, 1987At UNM: 82-65 (5th Season)Career: 165-154 (11th Season)
MEDIA COVERAGETelevision: The Mtn. (Comcast 37)  Rich Cellini (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 75-43Utah Home/Away/Neutral: 50-5/23-36/2-2Current Streak: New Mexico has won 2Last Meeting: New Mexico won 86-82 in overtime on Jan. 13, 2007in Albuquerque, N.M.

QUICKLY ON UTAH
The Runnin' Utes (9-17, 4-9 MWC) open their final homestand of the season against the New Mexico Lobos (15-13, 4-9 MWC) on Saturday at 3:35 p.m. (MST) at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The game will be televised by The Mtn.--MountainWest Sports Network (Comcast 37 in Salt Lake City) and broadcast on SportsRadio 700 The Zone.

Utah has dropped its last three games after winning four of six. The Utes fell at No. 17 Air Force 69-43 on Feb. 14 and lost to UNLV at home 70-57 on Feb. 17. Utah then lost at Wyoming 86-78 on Wednesday night. The Utes are 7-6 at home this season, 1-9 on opponents' home courts and 2-10 away from home overall.

Sophomore center Luke Nevill (7-1, 265) is the Utes' leading scorer (17.0 ppg) and rebounder (7.7 rpg). He is shooting 62.9 percent from the field, 76.1 percent from the free throw line, and also has a team-best 26 blocked shots. Junior guard Johnnie Bryant (6-0, 180) is second on the team in scoring (15.2 ppg), and has connected on 43.1 percent (78-for-181) of his 3-point attempts and 81.2 percent of his free throws. Bryant leads the team in assists (2.73 apg). Sophomore forward Shaun Green (6-8, 208) is third on the team in scoring (11.4 ppg), and is second in both assists (2.40 apg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg). He is shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 54.1 percent (59-for-109) from 3-point range. Green also leads the Utes in steals (31) and is second in blocked shots (14).

In the latest NCAA statistical rankings released on Feb. 23, Utah ranks third in 3-point percentage (42.3), 15th in field goal percentage (49.0), 92nd in 3-pointers made per game (7.4), 34th in free throw percentage (73.5) and 65th in rebound margin (+3.5 rpg). Nevill is ninth in field goal percentage (62.9), 97th in points per game (17.0) and 82nd in rebounds per game (7.7). Bryant ranks 29th in 3-pointers made per game (3.0) and 22nd in 3-point percentage (43.1). Green is out of the 3-point field goal rankings for the third consecutive week, missing the minimum mark to qualify of 2.5 made per game. His 3-point percentage of 54.1 would lead the nation.

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 account for 67.5 percent of Utah's points, 83.0 percent of its rebounds, 64.6 percent of its assists and 68.0 percent of its minutes.

? Utah has won its last four games decided by six points or less after losing its first nine this season.

? Nine of Utah's 17 losses have come by a combined 27 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 11 times and at least 50 percent from the field 12 times in 26 games this season.

? Utah is 1-10 this season when opponents shoot at least 50 percent from the field and 4-14 when they shoot at least 40 percent from 3-point range.

? The Utes are 7-0 when leading and 2-17 when they trail or are tied at halftime this season.

FROM THE TRAINING ROOM
? Freshman guard Curtis Eatmon (6-3, 175) broke his nose in the first half against UNLV last Saturday. He underwent surgery on Tuesday and did not play against Wyoming. He is questionable to play against New Mexico on Saturday.

? Sophomore center Luke Nevill (7-1, 265) has a sore right hip and did not play against Wyoming. He is questionable for the New Mexico game on Saturday.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
The Lobos are 15-13 overall and tied for seventh place in the Mountain West Conference with a 4-9 record. New Mexico has lost three of its last four games. Most recently, the Lobos defeated TCU 74-58 at home last Saturday and lost to San Diego State 81-74 in overtime at home on Tuesday night. The Lobos are 1-8 on opponents' home courts and 2-9 away from home overall this season.

Junior guard J.R. Giddens (6-5, 205), who is in his first season at New Mexico after transferring from Kansas, was suspended indefinitely on Feb. 17. He has not played in the last two games. Giddens leads the Lobos in scoring average (16.0 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.1 rpg). Junior guard/forward Tony Danridge (6-5, 215) is second in scoring average (12.9 ppg) and is shooting 51.7 percent from the field. Sophomore guard Chad Toppert (6-6, 195) is UNM's top 3-point shooter, hitting 48.1 percent (76-for-158) from beyond the arc. Toppert is also averaging 9.7 points per game. Senior forward Aaron Johnson (6-8, 255) is the team's leading rebounder (7.6 rpg). Junior guard Darren Prentice (6-1, 170) is New Mexico's leader in assists (3.4 apg) and steals (30).

New Mexico ranks second in the Mountain West in scoring (75.5 ppg), eighth in scoring defense (72.5 ppg), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.22) and eighth in rebound margin (-1.1 rpg).

COMPARING THE NUMBERS


          Utah   UNMOverall Record  9-17    15-13MWC Record  4-9 4-9Scoring          68.9   75.5Scoring Defense 70.8    72.5FG%          .490   .457FG% Defense .495    .4583-Pt. FG%            .423   .3763-Pt. FG% Defense   .456    .347FT%          .735   .670Rebound Margin  +3.5    -1.1Assists          14.2   15.5Turnovers            14.4   12.7Opp. Turnovers  11.4    14.1Steals           4.8    5.8Blocked Shots   2.2 2.6

LOBO HEAD COACH RITCHIE MCKAY
Ritchie McKay is 82-65 in his fifth season at New Mexico and has a 165-154 record in his 11th year as a head coach. The University of New Mexico announced on Thursday that his contract will be terminated at the end of the season. After going 24-32 in his first two years at New Mexico, McKay guided the Lobos to a 26-7 record and the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2004-05. New Mexico also went 10-4 to place second in the Mountain West Conference--their highest finish as an MWC member--and went on to win the league tournament. The Lobos went 17-13 overall and placed fifth in the conference with an 8-8 record last season.

McKay, who was the head coach at Colorado State for two seasons (1998-2000), returned to the Mountain West Conference following a two-year stint at Oregon State (2000-02) where he went 22-37. At CSU, McKay went 19-11 in 1998-99, taking the Rams to the third round of the NIT. His team went 18-12 in 1999-2000 when he was named Coach of the Year by College Hoops Insider magazine. McKay began his head coaching career at Portland State, going 24-29 in two seasons from 1996-98.

UTAH-NEW MEXICO SERIES NOTES
? The Utes and Lobos meet for the 119th time on Saturday afternoon. The series dates back to a 59-47 win by Utah on Jan. 3, 1952 in Albuquerque, N.M., in a Skyline Conference match-up.

? Utah leads the all-time series 75-43, winning 13 of the last 21 games. However, New Mexico has won six of the last nine. In games played either in Salt Lake City or Albuquerque, the home team has won each of the last nine games.

? New Mexico took the first meeting this season, winning 86-82 in overtime on Jan.13 in Albuquerque, N.M.

? The two teams split the 2005-06 season series. The Utes took the first meeting 64-49 on Jan. 4 in Salt Lake City in the conference opener for both teams. The Lobos won 64-53 on Feb. 4 in Albuquerque, N.M.

? In Salt Lake City, Utah has a 50-5 advantage and has won 17 in a row. The Utes haven't lost to the Lobos in the Huntsman Center since falling 79-76 on Feb. 16, 1989.

? In conference regular season play, the Utes have a 72-39 advantage. Utah leads 9-6 in Mountain West games.

? Ray Giacoletti is 2-4 against New Mexico with all of those games coming during his tenure at Utah.

? Ritchie McKay is 7-5 against Utah, including a 5-4 record while at New Mexico. He went 1-1 against Utah during his tenure at Colorado State.

LAST MEETING
New Mexico overcame a strong Utah push to top the Utes 86-82 in overtime at The Pit in Albuquerque on Jan. 13.

New Mexico snapped a four-game losing streak and handed the Utes their sixth straight loss.

Utah had a chance to win it in regulation but three off-balance shots in the final 13 seconds missed badly. Guard Johnnie Bryant, who missed the first of those three shots, led the Utes with 19 points. Shaun Green scored 14, all in the second half, including four 3-pointers.

Giddens, who had been hobbled by a sprained left ankle and missed the previous two games, hit 9 of 18 shots. His baseline driving lay-up with 2:44 left in overtime put New Mexico ahead for good (77-75). He hit just 6 of 13 free throws, but three of them came in overtime.

New Mexico hit nine 3-pointers in the first half and led 40-15 after center Aaron Johnson hit a free throw and a lay-up in the first minute and a half of the second half. But the Utes used a 10-2 run to cut the New Mexico lead to 57-54 with 8:09 left. Freshman 7-2 center David Foster scored five points, Stephen Weigh hit three free throws and Curtis Eatmon scored off a steal in that stretch.

The Utes brought the pressure on as Giddens missed several free throws and Green connected consistently on 3-pointers. A 3-point play by Eatmon with 41.6 seconds left in regulation tied it at 73.

Giddens came up short on a jumper with 22 seconds left and Tony Danridge missed on a 16-footer. Utah called timeout, and Bryant drove into the lane. He was cut off and had to put up an off-balance shot that missed. Foster got the rebound and missed and the Utes got off a third shot that didn't come close at the buzzer.

The Lobos shot 50.9 percent from the field and 52.4 percent from 3-point range, making 11-of-21. Utah shot 44.4 percent from the floor and made 9-of-27 3-pointers (.333). The Utes had a 40-38 advantage on the boards.

AFTER THIS
The Runnin' Utes close out their home schedule against the San Diego State Aztecs on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. (MST). The game will be televised by The Mtn.--MountainWest Sports Network. Utah then wraps up the regular season at BYU on Saturday, March 3 at 5:35 p.m. (MST).

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Utah Men's Basketball Preview - Game 27

Players Mentioned

Johnnie Bryant

Curtis Eatmon

David Foster

Shaun Green

Luke Nevill

Stephen Weigh

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