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The University of Utah Athletics
No. 10 Utah Opens Pac-12 Play with USC Friday
12/31/2014 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2014
GameTracker | Live Radio | Ticket Information | Twitter | Facebook | Game Notes
Game Information
No. 10 Utah Utes vs. USC Trojans
Date: Friday, January 2
Tipoff: 8 p.m. MT
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Arena: Jon M. Huntsman Center
TV: ESPNU
Play-by-Play: Kanoa Leahey
Analyst: Cory Alexander
Radio: Utah Sports Radio Network ESPN 700
Play-by-Play: Bill Riley
Analyst: Jimmy Soto
Utah Fast Breaks
• Utah jumped four spots in the Associated Press Poll this week to No. 10. This is the highest the Utes have been ranked since they closed the 1998-99 season at No. 6
• In home games this season, Delon Wright is averaging 15.5 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.3 rpg and shooting 72 percent from the field (64 percent on 3-pointers)
• The Utes currently rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense (56.9 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (36.6%)
• The Utes are 8-0 at home this year and out-scoring foes 85-58 while shooting 56 percent from the field.
• Utah has won three in a row against USC after sweeping the series last year and defeating the Trojans in the 2013 Pac-12 Tournament. The Utes are 3-2 vs. USC since joining the Pac-12
• Utah is one of only six athletic programs to have a basketball and football program ranked in the respective AP Top 25's (Arizona, Baylor, Louisville, Ohio State and Wisconsin)
Last Time Out
Jordan Loveridge returned after missing the last seven games to score 14 points and No. 10 Utah routed Carroll College 85-49 on Tuesday night.
The junior forward was out after a minor knee surgery and quickly made an impact when he entered the game and scored five quick points, including a 3-pointer.
Utah scored the first 12 points to take command early. Along with Loveridge, both Brekkott Chapman and Chris Reyes scored in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Freshman phenom Jakob Poeltl was held to nine points and six rebounds in 22 minutes. Delon Wright added nine points and seven assists in 23 minutes.
Clamping Down on "D"
A big reason for Utah's improvement last season was the defensive effort. The Utes ranked second among Pac-12 teams in defensive points per possession. Utah also excelled in guarding the 3-point line, limiting opponents to a league low 30.8 percent from beyond the arc.
This year, Utah is sixth in the nation at defending 2-point shots (37.2%) and 11th in defensive floor percentage, which measures the number of opponent offensive possessions in which there is at least one point scored.
Rebounding has been another key defensively with the team leading the Pac-12 in total margin (+9.0).
Offensive Efficiency
Utah was one of the most efficient teams offensively last season, converting 48.8 percent of its field-goal tries. The Utes won 15 games by double figures and finished the season ranked 15th in scoring margin, beating opponents by an average of 10.8 points.
This season, they are excelling once more in scoring margin, sitting 11th nationally (+19.6). Utah is also currently shooting 50.6 percent from the field, ninth in the nation.
Utah is 15th in the nation on 2-pointers (55%), 18th in true shooting percentage and 17th in points per shot. At the stripe, the Utes are 13th in free-throw production (ability to get to the line) and 16th in free-throw rate (percentage of points at the line).
Multi-Dimensional Delon
Delon Wright was Utah's first All-Pac-12 performer after a breakthrough campaign. The guard was also named to the All-Defensive Team after finishing 10th in the nation in steals per game.
His 82 steals were second only to Andre Miller's single-season mark of 84 and also had one of the best single-season assist marks with 174 (5.3 per game).
Wright led the league in minutes played (36.4 per game) and ranked among the Pac-12's top 15 in field goal percentage (3rd), assist/turnover ratio (5th), blocks (6th), scoring (10th), rebounding (12th) and free-throw percentage (13th).
In the off-season, Wright was one of 30 collegiate players nationwide invited to take part in the LeBron James Skills Academy. He was also named the 2014 Collegiate Athlete of the Year for the state of Utah.
Wright Racking Up Award Nominations
Wright was recently named to the preseason watch list for the John Wooden Award. He has also been selected to the Lute Olsen and the Bob Cousy Award Watch Lists.
The Wooden and Olsen awards are given to the player deemed the top collegiate player in the nation. The Cousy award is given to the top collegiate point guard.
Poeltl Putting Up Big Numbers
Jakob Poeltl has burst on to the scene this season for the Utes, leading the Pac-12 by shooting 68 percent from the floor.
Defensively, he is also having an impact, ranking third in the Pac-12 in blocks and sixth in rebounding. Poeltl is also grabbing 36 percent of Utah's offensive rebounds, the 17th-highest percentage in the country.
The Utah freshman records for field goal percentage (58.8) and blocks (44) are each well within the 7-footer's reach.
Loveridge Making Leap
Jordan Loveridge became the first player in program history to earn a weekly honor from the conference, another accolade for this local player who helped changed the program's culture.
Loveridge is currently 22nd all-time in scoring average at Utah (13.4 ppg). He only needs 68 points to become the 37th player in team history to eclipse the 1,000 point mark.
Last season, Loveridge ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in rebounding (7.0) and 12th in scoring (14.7), while racking up six double-doubles.
Taylor Trending Upward
Brandon Taylor now ranks 10th all-time at Utah with 115 3-pointers during his career. His accuracy also has him among the Utah greats as he is 10th all-time with a 39.5 3-point percentage.
Taylor is also an astute point guard, finishing sixth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio last season.
This season, he ranks among the Pac-12 league leaders in assists, steals and 3-pointers made. He is also the Ute representative on this year's NABC Good Works Team.
Ogbe On The Rise
While some players were relaxing this off-season, Kenneth Ogbe suited up for the U-20 German National Team.
This year, the freshman earned his first collegiate start and responded by scoring a career-high 19 points vs. Alabama State
Last season, he shot 47 percent on 3-pointers, the best mark for a Utah freshman in program history.
He is currently one of the league leaders in steals, assists and 3-pointers made.
Home Sweet Huntsman
The Utes entered the 2014-15 season with a 561-143 (.797) all-time record in the facility and have posted winning records in 43 of the building's 45 seasons, including eight undefeated seasons, at home. Last year, the team set a record for wins at the Huntsman Center, going 18-2
Balanced Ute Attack
One of the goals of the early season for Coach Krystkowiak was to get more playing time for some of his younger players. So far, this plan seems to be working.
The Utes are 10-2 with the best scoring margin in the league despite only having one player among the top 25 in scoring. Also, after seeing his starters rack up a ton of time on the court last season, Utah has only one player among the top 10 in minutes played (D. Wright - 10th)
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