Arizona Wildcats ahead Azuolas Tubelis dunks over Utah guard Rollie Worster (25) in Salt Lake Metropolis on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Tubelis and the Wildcats return to Salt Lake Metropolis Thursday, the place the 2 groups will usher in Pac-12 play. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Whereas the vast majority of College of Utah sports activities followers rightfully have their consideration centered on Friday’s Pac-12 soccer championship sport in Las Vegas towards USC, they shouldn’t overlook one other vital occasion happening within the Huntsman Heart earlier than then.
The Runnin’ Utes, who're off to a strong 5-2 begin, play host to No. 4 Arizona (6-0) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in a Pac-12 males’s basketball opener for each groups. Sure, there actually are convention basketball video games this week; Utah performs one other one Sunday — at Washington State — earlier than returning to its nonconference slate till the top of the month.
“It's a nice take a look at. I don’t know if barometer is the phrase, however we've plenty of work to do. I'm excited the place we're going. We have now clearly gotten higher from final 12 months to this 12 months.” — Utah basketball coach Craig Smith
Utah-Arizona clearly isn’t as large or essential as Utah-USC at Allegiant Stadium, however it may very well be big down the highway because the Utes battle for respect and the next spot within the league standings.
For defending Pac-12 champion Arizona, which is picked to win the league, it may not imply a lot. The Wildcats haven’t performed in additional than per week. They gained the Maui Basic in Hawaii earlier than Thanksgiving with victories over Cincinnati, No. 17 San Diego State and No. 10 Creighton.
“They're a well-oiled machine,” mentioned Utah coach Craig Smith.
For the Utes, who went 1-1 on the Fort Myers Tip-Off final week in Florida and adopted that with a powerful 95-66 win over St. Thomas, it's a measuring stick sort of sport to see simply how far they’ve are available in Smith’s second season.
“It's a nice take a look at,” Smith mentioned. “I don’t know if barometer is the phrase, however we've plenty of work to do. I'm excited the place we're going. We have now clearly gotten higher from final 12 months to this 12 months.”
Smith mentioned protection and continuity have contributed to Utah’s begin, which has included a win over Georgia Tech and losses to Sam Houston and Mississippi State. Utah’s complete roster has been obtainable to Smith the previous couple of video games, after accidents and sicknesses sidelined guys similar to veteran Marco Anthony and freshmen Keba Keita and Luka Tarlac the primary 5 video games.
“It's the first time we've had continuity since I've been right here,” Smith mentioned. “… I imply, knock on wooden, we've had everyone at our disposal (in) apply and taking part in (video games) right here for a bit over per week, 10 days.”
Final 12 months, Utah was off to a 6-0 begin earlier than Anthony obtained harm and the Utes dropped back-to-back video games in late November and early December to No. 18 BYU and No. 20 USC and by no means actually totally recovered.
“Are we the place we should be? No, not by a stretch,” Smith mentioned. “We're a piece in progress.”
Arizona, in the meantime, seems like a Ultimate 4 contender. Coach Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats had been certainly one of 18 packages within the nation nonetheless undefeated as of Tuesday, and boast a high-scoring offense led by Pac-12 Participant of the 12 months candidates Azoulas Tubelis, Oumar Ballo and Kerr Kriisa.
Tubelis averages 19.3 factors and eight.0 rebounds per sport, whereas Ballo, a junior, averages 19.0 factors and 10.0 rebounds. Level guard Kriisa averages 15.3 factors and seven.5 assists.
Former Ute Pelle Larsson chips in 11.2 factors, 4.8 rebounds and three.7 assists per sport.
“They're bodily and rugged they usually have the distinctive mixture of being an elite 3-point capturing crew, however they only punish you within the paint, too,” Smith mentioned.
Arizona is No. 1 within the nation in scoring offense (97.5 factors per sport), efficient subject purpose proportion (.647) and subject purpose proportion (.603).
Utah is No. 2 in subject purpose proportion protection, holding opponents to 33.7% capturing from the sphere.
“We have now been guarding nicely,” Smith mentioned. “… This crew has come a good distance at that finish of the ground. We have now made life troublesome for our opponents, and we've performed some totally different types. However (protection) has been the fixed for us. For essentially the most half we've actually defended at a excessive stage.”
So one thing has to provide.
Arizona pummeled the Utes 82-64 in Tucson final 12 months of their solely matchup, as Tubelis went off for 32 factors. Utah returns the sport at McKale Heart on Feb. 16.
Which begs the query: Why do the Utes need to face the league’s finest crew the primary day of December, and the evening earlier than their soccer crew performs for an opportunity to return to the Rose Bowl?
Smith mentioned he wasn’t shocked when the schedule got here out as a result of leagues typically open with their perceived finest groups taking part in towards their perceived weakest groups (Utah is picked to complete tenth).
“We're excited concerning the alternative,” he mentioned. “Clearly Arizona is a good crew — the defending champs, they usually have all of it, they've nice expertise, they've nice ability, they've nice measurement they usually have elite capturing and are a superb passing crew, they usually guard you.”
The coach acknowledged that plenty of Utah followers will probably be touring to Las Vegas Thursday,
“You understand what? You gotta play them twice anyway, so let’s do it proper out of the cage and let’s get higher and see what we will do,” he mentioned.
The Utes haven’t defeated an Related Press-ranked opponent since a Dec. 18, 2019, win over No. 6 Kentucky in Las Vegas. Their final residence win over an AP Prime 25 crew was Jan. 12, 2017, over No. 25 USC.
Runnin’ Utes on the air
No. 4 Arizona (0-0, 6-0)
at Utah (0-0, 5-2)
Thursday, 6:30 p.m. MST
Huntsman Heart, Salt Lake Metropolis
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Radio: KALL 700 AM