Here's One Vote for Slightly Improved Utes in Second Half
Now that the Utes are halfway through the Mountain West Conference season, it's time to try to figure how well they can fare in the second half.
Any thoughts?
My initial suspicion was that the Utes would fare about the same over the second half as they did in the first, but now I'm wondering whether the victory over UNLV should make me reconsider. It was a valuable victory, for sure, but the Utes have enjoyed other impressive wins this season and usually failed to build on them.
Have they finally turned a corner?
At the risk of embarrassing myself, then, I'll go ahead and predict that the Utes will go 5-3 over the second half of the season, starting with a victory at Air Force this weekend.
After all, the Utes have generally played harder and better -- if not always with attendant success -- against tough opponents in tough situations than they have against teams that aren't expected to challenge them much, and I'm thinking that the memory of blowout losses on their last two trips to Clune Arena will help keep them properly focused this time.
After that, the Utes should be able to exact revenge on San Diego State at home -- the Utes will be honoring their All-Century team after a week off, while the Aztecs play New Mexico three days before -- but probably won't be able to handle rival Brigham Young at the Marriott Center.
New Mexico isn't a good road team, and the Utes have the Lobos at home, so I'll call that another victory. But something makes me feel as if the Utes will find a way to let down and lose one of their next two games, at TCU or at Wyoming. But one of them, they'll win.
Then, they will beat Colorado State easily at home, before falling (badly, is my guess, after the other night) to UNLV in Las Vegas in the regular-season finale. That would make them 18-11 overall and 9-7 in league play, definitely an impressive turnaround from last year.
You think I'm close? Or way up in the night? Drop a comment, and let me know. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for our midseason report that's scheduled to run in the newspaper tomorrow ...
Any thoughts?
My initial suspicion was that the Utes would fare about the same over the second half as they did in the first, but now I'm wondering whether the victory over UNLV should make me reconsider. It was a valuable victory, for sure, but the Utes have enjoyed other impressive wins this season and usually failed to build on them.
Have they finally turned a corner?
At the risk of embarrassing myself, then, I'll go ahead and predict that the Utes will go 5-3 over the second half of the season, starting with a victory at Air Force this weekend.
After all, the Utes have generally played harder and better -- if not always with attendant success -- against tough opponents in tough situations than they have against teams that aren't expected to challenge them much, and I'm thinking that the memory of blowout losses on their last two trips to Clune Arena will help keep them properly focused this time.
After that, the Utes should be able to exact revenge on San Diego State at home -- the Utes will be honoring their All-Century team after a week off, while the Aztecs play New Mexico three days before -- but probably won't be able to handle rival Brigham Young at the Marriott Center.
New Mexico isn't a good road team, and the Utes have the Lobos at home, so I'll call that another victory. But something makes me feel as if the Utes will find a way to let down and lose one of their next two games, at TCU or at Wyoming. But one of them, they'll win.
Then, they will beat Colorado State easily at home, before falling (badly, is my guess, after the other night) to UNLV in Las Vegas in the regular-season finale. That would make them 18-11 overall and 9-7 in league play, definitely an impressive turnaround from last year.
You think I'm close? Or way up in the night? Drop a comment, and let me know. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for our midseason report that's scheduled to run in the newspaper tomorrow ...
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 12:48 PM |
8 Comments:
Any ability to predict how this team will finish is a crap shoot. They should be in every game from here on out, improved defensive play being the biggest reason. But this team is what it is:
1. Lack of front court depth (example: New Mexico after Nevill fouled out in overtime)
2. Reliance on outside shots falling (example A:TCU game, example B:Wyoming game)
So, regarding your prediction, 5-3 is probably accurate. They are good enough to win a game that wasn't expected (UNLV), and limited enough to lose a game that you wouldn't expect (Wyoming) if things don't go to hoyle.
Bottom line, 5-3 would be good due to the fact that this team's margin of error is razor thin.
You have the Utes winning 2 out of 3 on the road at Air Force, TCU and Wyoming. I honestly don't believe the team is good enough to do that, but I do believe they can win one of those. So I think 4-4 is more realistic. Hopefully they can win 1 conference tournament game for 18 wins and an outside shot at the NIT.
I think that Utah should be in every game for the rest of the regular season. "Should" is the key word, because this group of players is notorious for big-time belly flops.
Utah lost tough games to New Mexico and San Diego State on the road, so they should have plenty of desire to play well at home. The Utes also lost tough games to BYU and Wyoming in front of their home fans, so they theoretically should be angry and confident on the road. UNLV will be tough, especially if the Rebels get turnovers and threes and highlight reel slams to get the Thomas and Mack Center rockin'. Colorado State, Air Force and TCU look like Gimme Games on paper, but of course, the Utes have to actually go out and compete in those games.
Therefore, this is an extremely biased and hopeful prediction, coming from the heart of a died-in-the-wool, hardcore Utah fan, but I'm upping Mikey by one win. Utes 6-2.
The only prediciton is that Coach Bullwinkle will grab the microphone and say again like an idiot "We're getting stronger, we're getting better." Dude has grabbed the mic more than Majerus did in 13 seasons. It is embarassing.
Bigutefan: It's embarassing to have people like you counted as Utah fans. Boylen has done a ton for this program already. If you don't like his style, change your name to Bigcougfan and join the zoobs. Keep it up, Coach Boylen! Go Utes.
Pull the blinders off SMALL HOGS. Boylen has let legitimate talent leave the program, that is a crime. Weigh, Deane, and the kid at Purdue. Horrible moves. We only have an offense if Johnny Bryant is ON. The record would be the same or if not better if Coach Giac was here. Boylen can't control himself and gets credit for his enthusiasm when he looks like a fool. Whatever! I am die hard Ute, but this hire has been the worst move in Ute coaching history. Remember how fans made fun of the Wyoming Coach McClain for being so intense. I have been to away games, Boylen is a joke to everyone. Pretty sad when Bryant has to escort his coach off the floor to control his own coach's temper. What game are you watching? Throwing T-shirts to the student section is not what I would call "doing a ton" for the program.
I agree, Big Ute fan should change his name. Your negativity sucks. Don't let the bandwagon run you over once Boylen builds a winner.
I seem to remember a guy by the name of Jim Valvano that was known for his sideline "antics." I guess all he did was win a National Championship though. Boylen's in-game coaching style will have nothing to do with his success or failure as a head coach. bigutefan will eat his words when the Utes return to the NCAA's on an annual basis.
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