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Utah Hosts Illinois State Saturday in MWC-MVC Challenge
12/14/2009 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2009
Utah vs. Illinois State - Updated Game Notes 
Quotes From Coach Boylen's Weekly Press Conference
2009-10 Utah Men's Basketball Schedule
2009-10 Utah Basketball Tickets
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah men's basketball team (5-5) hosts Illinois State (7-1) Saturday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in the Mountain West Conference/Missouri Valley Conference Challenge. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. MT and the game will be televised live on the Mtn.
Utah is coming off a heartbreaking 78-73 overtime loss at home to Oklahoma, in which the Runnin' Utes led at halftime and with four minutes remaining in the extra period. Junior guard Carlon Brown (Riverside, Calif.) was Utah's top scorer with 16 points and tied for the team-high with eight rebounds. He also tied his season best with five assists. Sophomore center David Foster (Lake Forest, Calif.) registered six of Utah's school-record 13 blocks, while chipping in seven points and seven boards.
Brown is Utah's top scorer on the year, averaging 13.0 points per game, and is second in rebounding with 5.9 boards per contest. The Utes are led on the glass by senior forward Kim Tillie (Cagnes-sur-Mer, France) at 6.5 per game, while Luka Drca (Belgrade, Serbia) is the Utes' top assist man, averaging 4.3 helpers per game.
After beginning the year 7-0, Illinois State has dropped its last two straight, most recently falling at Ohio, 75-57. Dinma Odiakosa led the team with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The Redbirds' top scorer for the season is Osiris Eldridge, averaging 18.1 points per game. Odiakosa is the top rebounder at 8.4 boards per contest, while Lloyd Phillips leads the squad in assists at 4.2 per game.
Utah head coach Jim Boylen is in his third season at the helm and holds a 47-30 (.610) record. Illinois State is coached by Tim Jankovich, who owns a 56-22 (.718) record and is also in his third year.
Illinois State plays one more game before heading to Salt Lake City, traveling first to Ohio University, Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Saturday's matchup marks the first-ever meeting between the Redbirds and the Runnin' Utes. The MWC is currently trailing the MVC, 3-2, in the inaugural MWC-MVC Challenge.
Players Mentioned
Guard
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Center
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