Utah is bad. They are 332nd out of 342 teams in points per game at 57. They are 335th in rebounding with just under 30 a game. They are 294th in assists with 11. Finally, they are 262nd in field goal percentage with a 41% average. Does any of this matter? Not when it comes to the Huskies. Two days after getting demolished by what should have been an inferior Colorado team, the Dawgs face off against a Utes team that looked poised to pull off a second straight upset after beating WSU in overtime, 62-60. Should the Huskies win this game? Absolutely. Will they? I have no flipping clue...When this team steps out of Hec-Ed its as if the Monstars from Space Jam step in and suck up their abilities, returning their powers when they come home.
Tony Wroten had a fairly stellar night against Colorado (minus the turnovers and some defensive rotations). 21 points, 7 steals (I'm pretty sure that is one of the top UW numbers in a while), 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Terrence Ross was decent with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but the Dawgs need more out of him. Wilcox had a terrible shooting night, but I don't buy his altitude story.
The only two players with double digit scoring for Utah are two of the four players who returned to the Utes squad after a tumultuous off-season. The Utes lost the other two due to injuries for a few weeks, though David Foster, the 7-3 255lb senior, remains out after having foot surgery in early November. For only returning 4 players, I am amazed their roster features 17 players. the Utes run a 7 or 8 man rotation, normally.
Josh Watkins leads the team in scoring with 15.5 per game as well as tops in assists (5.2) and turnovers (3.8). Watkins is not a 3-point threat, shooting only 20% on the season (9 of 44). He is not a great free throw shooter either, making less than 70% on the year. What allows him to be such a threat is his size allowing him to get in the lane. Watkins stands at only 6-0, but weighs in at 200lb giving him the weight and muscle needed to power through defenders in the lane. He also has a solid mid-range jumper that is tough to defend. After the poor defense UW showed against Colorado, I'm struggling with deciding who could best attempt at shutting Watkins down. Perhaps Wroten will be the best bet as he tends to be one of the better one-on-one defenders in the league.
Josh Washburn is the only other double-digit scorer with 11.1 per game and leads the Utes in rebounding with 6.9 an outing. At 7-0 and 230lb, Washburn is "smaller" than Foster, but has shown to be more than capable as the go-to big man. Washburn is one of the most accurate shooters in the league hitting 60% of his shots and is a respectable 79% from the free throw line. Washburn will be tough to contain for UW, especially if Aziz N'Diaye gets into foul trouble. Washburn is fairly mobile, but has not attempted a 3-pointer yet this season.
Dijon Farr, Chris Hines, and Cedric Martin all average between 6 and 7 points per game and combine for 8 rebounds as well as 2 assists. Not sure what else to write about this team. I haven't seen much of their play and what they have done has been pretty sub standard. After winning their season opener, Utah went on to lose their next 8 straight. They come in with a 1 game winning "streak"
Predicted Starting Line-Ups:
Utah:
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
Anthony Odunsi 6-3 200lb
Cedric Martin 6-4 190lb
Dijon Farr 6-6 193lb
Jason Washburn 7-0 230lb
Washington:
Abdul Gaddy 6-3 185lb
Tony Wroten 6-5 205lb
Terrence Ross 6-6 195lb
Darnell Gant 6-8 230lb (Gant may start, but I can guarantee Simmons will see just as much, if not more, time)
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb
Keys to the Game:
Remember the Court is the Same Size as Home:
Pretty simple, right? Evidently not. Abdul Gaddy made what I consider to be one of the most honest, yet disturbing statements after last nights "game." He said this is not a team that will score a lot of points on the road. Why? Why is that? Does Hec-Ed have a shorter 3-point line so shots are easier? Is there a magnet in the ball that activates when we have possession? No. The court is the same. The hoops are the same. The jump shot the Huskies take and make at home are going to go the same height and distance at Hec-Ed and on the road, no matter where in the world they are. So what possible reason is there for our team to score less points on the road? It is all mental. The only difference is what locker room the team changes in and the color of the fans in the stadium. That is it. Nothing that should affect their shots, their defensive rotations, or their game plan. Nothing.
Rebounding:
The Utes struggle to score and they struggle to rebound. The Huskies need to force this trend to continue by scrapping hard on the blocks and getting every rebound in sight. If the Huskies can't shoot, the least they can do is prevent Utah from shooting.
Get Some Heart:
How many times did I count the Huskies coming out on the court with no smile, no joy, no heart, no nothing? The answer is WAY TOO MANY TIMES! Wroten seems like the only guy on the court who wants to win and shows it by yelling, chest beating, and smiling. If only the rest of the team could get on his page and show that kind of heart and love of the game. Heart will drive a team to victory more often than not. Rarely do you seen a team who truly gives it their all lose. Look what Isaiah Thomas was able to do against Arizona in the Pac-10 championship game.
Final Thoughts:
I will watch this game. Not because I want to, but because my body needs it to survive. As much as it hurts my head and heart to watch this team collapse on the road, my organs would fail without Husky sports in my life. This team is slowly killing me. Please Romar, save me and this season and grow a pair, win some games, make a run, and play to the talent level you possess.
Final Score Prediction: None. I have no idea. Zero...
Showing posts with label Utes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utes. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2012
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
University of Utah 2011-2012 Preview
Utah comes into the Pac-12 looking much worse off than they did in football. A 13-18 season, 6-10 in the Mountain West Conference, does not bode well in what is definitely a stronger conference. Utah comes in missing a lot of past seasons players. Let's look quickly at a list of everyone they lost and then we will pursue a more in depth look at the key losses for the Utes.
Players Lost:
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Chris Kupets 6-0 175lb
Antonio DiMaria 6-6 195lb
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
Shawn Glover 6-7 195lb
Seth Tippetts 6-8 235lb
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
Neal Monson 6-10 230lb
Dominique Lee 6-4 205lb
Michael Hodgman 6-1 175lb
Preston Guiot 6-0 185lb
Josh Fuller 6-7 210lb
Count it, 12 players down. 12. Wowza. Somehow they have managed to fill their roster back out with members from each class, including 5 freshmen. With only 4 returning players, not starters mind you just players in general, Utah is far and beyond the team with the most work to do. Anything better than a last place finish in the Pac-12 should be considered a success. Heck, I'd be amazed if they pull off 10 wins total with this kind of turn over. Sure they are bringing in players with some experience, but the Utes will be missing a lot of team cohesion and chemistry that is extremely important in winning close games and staying in what could otherwise be complete blowouts. If Utah and Colorado thought they were being stepped on in football, just wait until basketball season when UW, UA, and UCLA come marching in to greet them properly. Utah missing playing UW and WSU on the road as well as UCLA and USC at home. So Utah will play UA and Cal twice as well as UW and UCLA once, which most fans on either side of the ball should chalk up as 6 losses for Utah. The opposing team must be certain to never overlook a team, even one as beat up as Utah. Anyone can be beaten on a given day. Just look at SPU who beat Arizona by 1 in Arizona. Arizona was also down 12 at one point to Humboldt State in their most recent exhibition and only pulled out the win in the final 4 minutes or so when foul shots allowed Arizona to keep their lead. With that in mind, let's look at who the key losses are this off season.
Key Losses:
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
With a team leading 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, Clyburn was the heart, soul, and star of the Utah basketball team. He also led the team in steals per game and 3 point shooting percentage. Keep in mind Clyburn also made twice as many 3 pointers than anyone else on the roster, so it was not just a "fluke" or low attempt number that gave him such a good percentage. He will be greatly missed.
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Older brother of returning leading scorer, Josh Watkins, Jay was third in scoring at nearly 15 points per game and had a team high 3.5 assists per game. Unfortunately, he also had a team high 3.4 turnovers which essentially negates whatever good he did for the team.
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
With 7 points and 6 rebounds a game (good for second on the team) O'Brien was another solid wing lost by the Utes this past year. I can't comment too much on what any of these players brought to their teams outside the statistics I've found as I really didn't watch them play last year. All I know is that Utah will be hurting in a very bad way.
Incoming Freshmen:
Kareem Storey 6-0 190lb
Storey is known to be a solid scorer with the ability to hit inside with a good driving attack as well as outside with a decent 3 pointer. He does force a lot of shots, hordes the ball, and often lacks the court vision to see open teammates. Storey could be more of a hindrance than an asset for Utah, but he is a college level player, which Utah would have been severely lacking otherwise.
Anthony Odunsi 6-3 195lb
Odunsi is a combination guard, much like Isaiah Thomas, but not nearly as skilled and lacking a consistent 3 pointer. He is a solid rebounder with the strength to bounce around in the lanes. He seems like a much more reliable point guard prospect for Utah.
George Matthews 6-6 190lb
Matthews has a great scoring skill set. At 6-6 he can shoot over players in the lane and at the post. He can also finish outside the arc, which forces defenders to stay honest at all times. He energy level can waver at times on offense and defense, occasionally forcing shots or letting the opposition blow by him.
Utah also brings in 3 JC transfers, plus 7 other transfers/redshirts.
Returning Players:
David Foster 7-3 255lb
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
Jason Washburn 7-0 230lb
Chris Hines 6-0 195lb
Well that was easier than usual.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
David Foster 7-3 255lb
And that's about as far as I can guess. They have so many incoming players I can't even begin to ponder who will be in their starting 5 outside those two. It's anyone's to take.
What to Expect:
Don't expect Utah to come close to competing. Even ASU and WSU should be able to make Utah look bad. Utah does return some size in a pair of 7 footers, but neither has shown too much offensive promise yet. Defensively they are a dangerous duo, especially if they could play on the court at the same time. Utah will be lucky to win 3 or 4 games in conference. If they manage to string together some sort of consistent starting 5 and find some decent enough bench players, Utah could struggle out of the basement to maybe 11th or 10th place. Higher than that would be asking far too much of the players and coaching staff. Utah won't be competitive in conference for at least another 2 or 3 year, in my opinion.
Players Lost:
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Chris Kupets 6-0 175lb
Antonio DiMaria 6-6 195lb
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
Shawn Glover 6-7 195lb
Seth Tippetts 6-8 235lb
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
Neal Monson 6-10 230lb
Dominique Lee 6-4 205lb
Michael Hodgman 6-1 175lb
Preston Guiot 6-0 185lb
Josh Fuller 6-7 210lb
Count it, 12 players down. 12. Wowza. Somehow they have managed to fill their roster back out with members from each class, including 5 freshmen. With only 4 returning players, not starters mind you just players in general, Utah is far and beyond the team with the most work to do. Anything better than a last place finish in the Pac-12 should be considered a success. Heck, I'd be amazed if they pull off 10 wins total with this kind of turn over. Sure they are bringing in players with some experience, but the Utes will be missing a lot of team cohesion and chemistry that is extremely important in winning close games and staying in what could otherwise be complete blowouts. If Utah and Colorado thought they were being stepped on in football, just wait until basketball season when UW, UA, and UCLA come marching in to greet them properly. Utah missing playing UW and WSU on the road as well as UCLA and USC at home. So Utah will play UA and Cal twice as well as UW and UCLA once, which most fans on either side of the ball should chalk up as 6 losses for Utah. The opposing team must be certain to never overlook a team, even one as beat up as Utah. Anyone can be beaten on a given day. Just look at SPU who beat Arizona by 1 in Arizona. Arizona was also down 12 at one point to Humboldt State in their most recent exhibition and only pulled out the win in the final 4 minutes or so when foul shots allowed Arizona to keep their lead. With that in mind, let's look at who the key losses are this off season.
Key Losses:
Will Clyburn 6-7 200lb
With a team leading 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, Clyburn was the heart, soul, and star of the Utah basketball team. He also led the team in steals per game and 3 point shooting percentage. Keep in mind Clyburn also made twice as many 3 pointers than anyone else on the roster, so it was not just a "fluke" or low attempt number that gave him such a good percentage. He will be greatly missed.
Jay Watkins 6-8 215lb
Older brother of returning leading scorer, Josh Watkins, Jay was third in scoring at nearly 15 points per game and had a team high 3.5 assists per game. Unfortunately, he also had a team high 3.4 turnovers which essentially negates whatever good he did for the team.
J.J. O'Brien 6-7 215lb
With 7 points and 6 rebounds a game (good for second on the team) O'Brien was another solid wing lost by the Utes this past year. I can't comment too much on what any of these players brought to their teams outside the statistics I've found as I really didn't watch them play last year. All I know is that Utah will be hurting in a very bad way.
Incoming Freshmen:
Kareem Storey 6-0 190lb
Storey is known to be a solid scorer with the ability to hit inside with a good driving attack as well as outside with a decent 3 pointer. He does force a lot of shots, hordes the ball, and often lacks the court vision to see open teammates. Storey could be more of a hindrance than an asset for Utah, but he is a college level player, which Utah would have been severely lacking otherwise.
Anthony Odunsi 6-3 195lb
Odunsi is a combination guard, much like Isaiah Thomas, but not nearly as skilled and lacking a consistent 3 pointer. He is a solid rebounder with the strength to bounce around in the lanes. He seems like a much more reliable point guard prospect for Utah.
George Matthews 6-6 190lb
Matthews has a great scoring skill set. At 6-6 he can shoot over players in the lane and at the post. He can also finish outside the arc, which forces defenders to stay honest at all times. He energy level can waver at times on offense and defense, occasionally forcing shots or letting the opposition blow by him.
Utah also brings in 3 JC transfers, plus 7 other transfers/redshirts.
Returning Players:
David Foster 7-3 255lb
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
Jason Washburn 7-0 230lb
Chris Hines 6-0 195lb
Well that was easier than usual.
Predicted Starting Line-Up
Josh Watkins 6-0 200lb
David Foster 7-3 255lb
And that's about as far as I can guess. They have so many incoming players I can't even begin to ponder who will be in their starting 5 outside those two. It's anyone's to take.
What to Expect:
Don't expect Utah to come close to competing. Even ASU and WSU should be able to make Utah look bad. Utah does return some size in a pair of 7 footers, but neither has shown too much offensive promise yet. Defensively they are a dangerous duo, especially if they could play on the court at the same time. Utah will be lucky to win 3 or 4 games in conference. If they manage to string together some sort of consistent starting 5 and find some decent enough bench players, Utah could struggle out of the basement to maybe 11th or 10th place. Higher than that would be asking far too much of the players and coaching staff. Utah won't be competitive in conference for at least another 2 or 3 year, in my opinion.
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