Looking Forward to Match-Up Against High Point
Looks like we were pretty tight in the newspaper today, what with a few tidbits getting edited out of our preview of the Utes' game against High Point at the NIT Season Tip-Off here in Seattle tonight.
So let's get up to speed.
In addition to having forward Shaun Green start out on defense against High Point's Arizona Reid, coach Jim Boylen said the Utes probably will have to "throw a couple of guys at him and have help" to slow Reid (a player he compared to the NBA's Paul Pierce or Antawn Jamison), who attempted nearly half his team's shots in a season-opening 61-55 loss to Charlotte last week.
But the Utes also are hoping to cut down on their turnovers, maintain their composure on the road and keep center Luke Nevill out of the foul trouble that limited him to less than two minutes of the first half of a season-opening 86-52 win over South Carolina Upstate.
"It was disappointing," Nevill said.
The Utes have beaten High Point all three times they have played in the last nine years, by an average of 25 points. But none of those teams figure to be as talented as the one the Utes face tonight, particularly with experienced guards Mike Jefferson and Eugene Harris helping Reid.
"They have some really capable guys who are veteran guys," Boylen said. "Battle-hardened, good basketball players. I think that's what we're going against."
Utah's Tyler Kepkay missed practice over the weekend with an ankle injury, but is expected to play, while fellow guard Lawrence Borha is coming off a career-high 20 points in the win over South Carolina Upstate and expected to provide some of the help on Reid -- along with guard Luka Drca and forwards Stephen Weigh and Kim Tillie.
But Boylen and his players have talked the most about seeing what they can do away from the comforts of home, especially considering they have lost their last four games away from the Huntsman Center.
"It's a good test for us," Boylen said. "We need it. We need it to get off of our home court and see what we can do."
So let's get up to speed.
In addition to having forward Shaun Green start out on defense against High Point's Arizona Reid, coach Jim Boylen said the Utes probably will have to "throw a couple of guys at him and have help" to slow Reid (a player he compared to the NBA's Paul Pierce or Antawn Jamison), who attempted nearly half his team's shots in a season-opening 61-55 loss to Charlotte last week.
But the Utes also are hoping to cut down on their turnovers, maintain their composure on the road and keep center Luke Nevill out of the foul trouble that limited him to less than two minutes of the first half of a season-opening 86-52 win over South Carolina Upstate.
"It was disappointing," Nevill said.
The Utes have beaten High Point all three times they have played in the last nine years, by an average of 25 points. But none of those teams figure to be as talented as the one the Utes face tonight, particularly with experienced guards Mike Jefferson and Eugene Harris helping Reid.
"They have some really capable guys who are veteran guys," Boylen said. "Battle-hardened, good basketball players. I think that's what we're going against."
Utah's Tyler Kepkay missed practice over the weekend with an ankle injury, but is expected to play, while fellow guard Lawrence Borha is coming off a career-high 20 points in the win over South Carolina Upstate and expected to provide some of the help on Reid -- along with guard Luka Drca and forwards Stephen Weigh and Kim Tillie.
But Boylen and his players have talked the most about seeing what they can do away from the comforts of home, especially considering they have lost their last four games away from the Huntsman Center.
"It's a good test for us," Boylen said. "We need it. We need it to get off of our home court and see what we can do."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 9:44 AM |
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