Big Games Just Grew Even Bigger
Boy, no sooner do we write about how tough the stretch run is going to be for the Utes than the upcoming games grow even bigger.
With rival Brigham Young's astonishing comeback win at San Diego State last night, the Utes need to beat UNLV tonight at the Huntsman Center not only to knock the Rebels out of serious title contention but to maintain their two-game lead on the Cougars and New Mexico -- whom they will face next, both on the road.
"We have to come in and play the same way we played when we were in second place, battling for that first-place spot," guard Lawrence Borha said. "We know everybody's coming out, and they're gunning for us. We have to be ready to take everybody's best shot, and I think we are ready."
At least, they're about 5-point favorites at home, where they hope to avoid the same fate as the Aztecs, whose abysmal second-half collapse has effectively removed them from title consideration, solidified coach Steve Fisher's reputation as a guy who struggles to turn talent into titles, and provided just about the quote of the year from forward Lorrenzo Wade.
"There is no excuse for letting Jimmer Fredette come in here and score 28 points," Wade said. "That's impossible. ... I don't get [angry] about too much, but I'm [upset]. We played 32 minutes of good basketball. We set ourselves up in this conference to be at the top at the end of [the regular season], and there's no way we should have lost two games in a row like this."
Yet they did, and the Utes have to avoid having it happen to them, too.
Coach Jim Boylen said the Utes have to come out with the same intensity they did while building a 12-point lead in the first half against the Rebels on the road last month -- they will be going against Riverton's Joe Darger, who nearly committed to the Utes but has enjoyed a solid career at UNLV -- and not the softness with which they played in the second half that led to a colossal meltdown in a 75-65 loss. Darger played a key role in that game, by fouling Utah's Luke Nevill before he could make easy baskets.
"It comes down to toughness and finishing plays,” he said. "Two things you have to do for Vegas is you have to play through contact and physicality, and you have to finish plays at the rim. And we didn't do that in the second half. Really, they pounded us in the second half. ... Our guys know that. We know that. And we've coached our guys to understand that."
With rival Brigham Young's astonishing comeback win at San Diego State last night, the Utes need to beat UNLV tonight at the Huntsman Center not only to knock the Rebels out of serious title contention but to maintain their two-game lead on the Cougars and New Mexico -- whom they will face next, both on the road.
"We have to come in and play the same way we played when we were in second place, battling for that first-place spot," guard Lawrence Borha said. "We know everybody's coming out, and they're gunning for us. We have to be ready to take everybody's best shot, and I think we are ready."
At least, they're about 5-point favorites at home, where they hope to avoid the same fate as the Aztecs, whose abysmal second-half collapse has effectively removed them from title consideration, solidified coach Steve Fisher's reputation as a guy who struggles to turn talent into titles, and provided just about the quote of the year from forward Lorrenzo Wade.
"There is no excuse for letting Jimmer Fredette come in here and score 28 points," Wade said. "That's impossible. ... I don't get [angry] about too much, but I'm [upset]. We played 32 minutes of good basketball. We set ourselves up in this conference to be at the top at the end of [the regular season], and there's no way we should have lost two games in a row like this."
Yet they did, and the Utes have to avoid having it happen to them, too.
Coach Jim Boylen said the Utes have to come out with the same intensity they did while building a 12-point lead in the first half against the Rebels on the road last month -- they will be going against Riverton's Joe Darger, who nearly committed to the Utes but has enjoyed a solid career at UNLV -- and not the softness with which they played in the second half that led to a colossal meltdown in a 75-65 loss. Darger played a key role in that game, by fouling Utah's Luke Nevill before he could make easy baskets.
"It comes down to toughness and finishing plays,” he said. "Two things you have to do for Vegas is you have to play through contact and physicality, and you have to finish plays at the rim. And we didn't do that in the second half. Really, they pounded us in the second half. ... Our guys know that. We know that. And we've coached our guys to understand that."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 7:17 AM |
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