Utes Expecting 'Big Challenge' at CSU
When the Utes try to extend their winning streak at Colorado State tonight and continue to enjoy greater national attention, they expect to find a different team than the one they blew out at home last month.
"We're playing a team that is much-improved, athletic, a different team obviously than they've been on the road, with the wins they've had at home," coach Jim Boylen said. "It's going to be a big challenge for us."
Not everybody thinks so.
While center Luke Nevill somehow has been convinced that "we struggled a little bit playing them here" -- maybe he means briefly giving back an 11-point first half lead, before wiping out the Rams in the second half for an 82-66 victory that put the Utes in first place – the oddsmakers have made the Utes definitive 9-point favorites at Moby Arena tonight.
"They're going to come out firing," said Nevill, who's receiving more and more attention around the league for his dominating senior season.
Sure, the Rams are 6-6 at home, with a victory over UNLV, as opposed to 2-11 on the road. But they still are bringing up the rear in the Mountain West Conference, in eighth place, and rank last in the league by allowing 48.1 percent shooting and making just 42.9 percent of their own shots, and second-to-last by allowing 73.7 points per game.
They also have lost five of their last six games, while the Utes have won six in a row -- including four straight against the Rams.
"Just like everybody else in the conference, they're a lot better team at home," forward Shaun Green said. "I think they finally have everybody back and healthy. ... We just have to control their three-point shooting. They have a lot of good scorers with [Marcus] Walker, [Andre] MacFarland and [Harvey] Perry. Even their point guard, the freshman point guard [Jesse] Carr, is turning into a really good player, so we just have to control the perimeter and control the inside and do what we usually do. Play defense and run the ball and shoot the ball and score."
"We're playing a team that is much-improved, athletic, a different team obviously than they've been on the road, with the wins they've had at home," coach Jim Boylen said. "It's going to be a big challenge for us."
Not everybody thinks so.
While center Luke Nevill somehow has been convinced that "we struggled a little bit playing them here" -- maybe he means briefly giving back an 11-point first half lead, before wiping out the Rams in the second half for an 82-66 victory that put the Utes in first place – the oddsmakers have made the Utes definitive 9-point favorites at Moby Arena tonight.
"They're going to come out firing," said Nevill, who's receiving more and more attention around the league for his dominating senior season.
Sure, the Rams are 6-6 at home, with a victory over UNLV, as opposed to 2-11 on the road. But they still are bringing up the rear in the Mountain West Conference, in eighth place, and rank last in the league by allowing 48.1 percent shooting and making just 42.9 percent of their own shots, and second-to-last by allowing 73.7 points per game.
They also have lost five of their last six games, while the Utes have won six in a row -- including four straight against the Rams.
"Just like everybody else in the conference, they're a lot better team at home," forward Shaun Green said. "I think they finally have everybody back and healthy. ... We just have to control their three-point shooting. They have a lot of good scorers with [Marcus] Walker, [Andre] MacFarland and [Harvey] Perry. Even their point guard, the freshman point guard [Jesse] Carr, is turning into a really good player, so we just have to control the perimeter and control the inside and do what we usually do. Play defense and run the ball and shoot the ball and score."
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