Chase for Tourney Starts at Air Force
We've explored the possibility somewhat here, but as the Utes prepare to play at Air Force tonight, we take a look at the chances they can return to the NCAA Tournament this season.
The short version?
Sure, if they keep winning at the rate they have so far. "We can be right there," coach Jim Boylen said.
Step one, of course, is beating the Falcons tonight at Clune Arena -- a place that once was nearly impenetrable but whose mystique is fading fast. The Falcons were 56-2 at home over a four-year span, but are only 19-7 since the start of last year, and down to an average of 2,570 fans this season. So despite Boylen's insistence that "I don't know if any time you go into Air Force, you're saying you should win," the oddsmakers strongly disagree.
The Utes are significant 8-point favorites on the road tonight.
That should tell you something about the undersized Falcons, who have lost four of their last five games -- including one to Stony Brook at home -- and been blown out of their two Mountain West Conference games so far. Coach Jeff Reynolds is hoping to get a little more work for his promising freshmen, but knows his small team must somehow find a way to contain Utah's Luke Nevill.
"You can't let him catch the ball in the lane ... because if he catches it inside the lane, he'll score," Reynolds said.
Seemingly the only thing that gives the Falcons a chance tonight is their three-point shooting. They lead the league, and have the Mountain West's top two shooters in forwards Matt Holland and Andrew Henke. But after starting the season shooting 46.9 percent through the first 10 games, the Falcons have hit just 32.1 percent in those last five games.
If they can't get hot against the league's weakest three-point defending team, they can probably forget about shaking out of their funk.
The short version?
Sure, if they keep winning at the rate they have so far. "We can be right there," coach Jim Boylen said.
Step one, of course, is beating the Falcons tonight at Clune Arena -- a place that once was nearly impenetrable but whose mystique is fading fast. The Falcons were 56-2 at home over a four-year span, but are only 19-7 since the start of last year, and down to an average of 2,570 fans this season. So despite Boylen's insistence that "I don't know if any time you go into Air Force, you're saying you should win," the oddsmakers strongly disagree.
The Utes are significant 8-point favorites on the road tonight.
That should tell you something about the undersized Falcons, who have lost four of their last five games -- including one to Stony Brook at home -- and been blown out of their two Mountain West Conference games so far. Coach Jeff Reynolds is hoping to get a little more work for his promising freshmen, but knows his small team must somehow find a way to contain Utah's Luke Nevill.
"You can't let him catch the ball in the lane ... because if he catches it inside the lane, he'll score," Reynolds said.
Seemingly the only thing that gives the Falcons a chance tonight is their three-point shooting. They lead the league, and have the Mountain West's top two shooters in forwards Matt Holland and Andrew Henke. But after starting the season shooting 46.9 percent through the first 10 games, the Falcons have hit just 32.1 percent in those last five games.
If they can't get hot against the league's weakest three-point defending team, they can probably forget about shaking out of their funk.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 6:39 AM |
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