Utes Hoping for Mile-High Challenge
The Utes will get their first real test of the season this weekend, when they travel to Colorado for a secret scrimmage with the Buffaloes.
Sadly, though, we'll learn little about it.
Under the rules that allow teams to substitute such a scrimmage in place of a preseason exhibition game, teams are not allowed to publicize or open the events to fans or media -- a prohibition that extends to even providing statistics from the match-up. The best coach Jim Boylen can do is vaguely assess the performance of his players.
Still, the scrimmage gives the Utes a chance to finally run and bang against somebody other than themselves on Saturday, and Boylen believes it will give them more of a challenge than would an exhibition against an overmatched lower-division team.
"I don't want to be disrespectful to a Division III or an NAIA [team] or anything, but we didn't feel this was a year where beating somebody by 35 points helped us get better in our preseason," Boylen said.
The Utes are trying to mix five freshmen into a system dominated by four starting seniors. The Buffs are in a similar situation, with five freshmen -- but only one senior and one junior -- among their seven newcomers for coach Jeff Bzdelik's second season. The coaches know each other from spending years in the NBA.
"We have a great relationship," Boylen said. "We value the same things. ... I'm kind of rebuilding a program, and I think he's building a program. He's got seven new guys and I've got five, and it just seemed like a great fit for both of us. We think of the game in the same way, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Sadly, though, we'll learn little about it.
Under the rules that allow teams to substitute such a scrimmage in place of a preseason exhibition game, teams are not allowed to publicize or open the events to fans or media -- a prohibition that extends to even providing statistics from the match-up. The best coach Jim Boylen can do is vaguely assess the performance of his players.
Still, the scrimmage gives the Utes a chance to finally run and bang against somebody other than themselves on Saturday, and Boylen believes it will give them more of a challenge than would an exhibition against an overmatched lower-division team.
"I don't want to be disrespectful to a Division III or an NAIA [team] or anything, but we didn't feel this was a year where beating somebody by 35 points helped us get better in our preseason," Boylen said.
The Utes are trying to mix five freshmen into a system dominated by four starting seniors. The Buffs are in a similar situation, with five freshmen -- but only one senior and one junior -- among their seven newcomers for coach Jeff Bzdelik's second season. The coaches know each other from spending years in the NBA.
"We have a great relationship," Boylen said. "We value the same things. ... I'm kind of rebuilding a program, and I think he's building a program. He's got seven new guys and I've got five, and it just seemed like a great fit for both of us. We think of the game in the same way, and I'm really looking forward to it."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 9:51 AM |
2 Comments:
Thoughts...
1. I hate the NCAA's stupid, two-foot thick rule book.
2. I love Coach B.
So what happened in the game?
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