Last Big Test Has Touch of Mystery
The Utes put the final touch on their ambitious non-conference schedule tonight against LSU at the Huntsman Center, going against a team that might not be quite as good as its dazzling record might suggest.
Coach Jim Boylen has been fretting over the length and athleticism of the Tigers, which they no doubt possess.
But in talking with a writer who covers the team, he said the Tigers are frighteningly soft inside, and probably will have a hard time coping with 7-foot-2 center Luke Nevill. What's more, they don't have great depth, which could prove problematic for in the higher altitude, and they're basically the anti-Utes, in terms of scheduling, so it's hard to know yet whether they're really any good.
While the 9-5 Utes have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation so far, the Tigers have built their 12-1 record against mostly a bunch of pushovers -- the Tigers have the 333rd-ranked schedule in the country, according to RealTimeRPI.com -- and almost entirely at home. All 12 victories have come in Baton Rouge, with the loss coming in a neutral-site game against Texas A&M in Houston.
Maybe that's why the Utes are 5-point favorites tonight.
The game marks the return of yet another coach with connections to the Utes.
Coach Trent Johnson was an assistant for the Utes years ago, and was offered the job to replace Rick Majerus. But Johnson turned it down to stay at Nevada, which he did for about five minutes before jumping to take over at Stanford. The Utes, of course, were left to hire Ray Giacoletti, who returned to campus with Gonzaga last week for the first time since effectively being fired nearly two years ago.
Now, Johnson has been trying to build his team's confidence in his first season at LSU, having become well-acquainted with Boylen long ago, when Boylen was an assistant coach with the NBA's Houston Rockets and Johnson was an assistant at nearby Rice.
"We actually had some cookouts together," Boylen recalled. "I met his family. Just a really good, solid guy and a heck of a coach."
Boylen said Johnson made it easy to schedule the game with the Utes, unlike the complaints other coaches often raise about how hard it is to get other teams to visit their arenas. "I was at an AAU tournament in Houston in the spring, and I said, 'Hey Trent, let's get a series,'" Boylen recalled. "He said, 'Sounds great. I'll call you next week.' He called me the next week, it was done."
Tonight comes the payoff.
Coach Jim Boylen has been fretting over the length and athleticism of the Tigers, which they no doubt possess.
But in talking with a writer who covers the team, he said the Tigers are frighteningly soft inside, and probably will have a hard time coping with 7-foot-2 center Luke Nevill. What's more, they don't have great depth, which could prove problematic for in the higher altitude, and they're basically the anti-Utes, in terms of scheduling, so it's hard to know yet whether they're really any good.
While the 9-5 Utes have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation so far, the Tigers have built their 12-1 record against mostly a bunch of pushovers -- the Tigers have the 333rd-ranked schedule in the country, according to RealTimeRPI.com -- and almost entirely at home. All 12 victories have come in Baton Rouge, with the loss coming in a neutral-site game against Texas A&M in Houston.
Maybe that's why the Utes are 5-point favorites tonight.
The game marks the return of yet another coach with connections to the Utes.
Coach Trent Johnson was an assistant for the Utes years ago, and was offered the job to replace Rick Majerus. But Johnson turned it down to stay at Nevada, which he did for about five minutes before jumping to take over at Stanford. The Utes, of course, were left to hire Ray Giacoletti, who returned to campus with Gonzaga last week for the first time since effectively being fired nearly two years ago.
Now, Johnson has been trying to build his team's confidence in his first season at LSU, having become well-acquainted with Boylen long ago, when Boylen was an assistant coach with the NBA's Houston Rockets and Johnson was an assistant at nearby Rice.
"We actually had some cookouts together," Boylen recalled. "I met his family. Just a really good, solid guy and a heck of a coach."
Boylen said Johnson made it easy to schedule the game with the Utes, unlike the complaints other coaches often raise about how hard it is to get other teams to visit their arenas. "I was at an AAU tournament in Houston in the spring, and I said, 'Hey Trent, let's get a series,'" Boylen recalled. "He said, 'Sounds great. I'll call you next week.' He called me the next week, it was done."
Tonight comes the payoff.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 10:35 AM |
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home