Utah guard Eli Ballstaedt (32) has his shot blocked by Stanford ahead Spencer Jones in Salt Lake Metropolis on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. The Utes have misplaced two straight and host the Cal Bears Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Utah guard Gabe Madsen reacts to a knee damage after attempting to rebound the ball in opposition to Oregon on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. Madsen missed Utah’s loss to Stanford Thursday night time and is predicted to overlook 4 to 6 weeks Andy Nelson, Related Press
February was presupposed to be the month that coach Craig Smith’s new and improved Runnin’ Utes put an exclamation mark on what already needs to be thought-about a profitable season.
Picked to complete tenth within the Pac-12 preseason media ballot, the Utes rolled into the month within the high 4 of the league standings, with none damaging Quad 3 or Quad 4 losses, and with loads of mojo.
“Gabe (Madsen) is an effective participant, however that's the reason you've got a group. You gotta construct a group, and guys gotta be prepared, and it's a little bit completely different as a result of a whole lot of the issues that we do undergo him. However that’s simply a part of sports activities.” — Utah coach Craig Smith
Then Thursday night time occurred on the Huntsman Middle. The 78-72 loss to Stanford can simply be categorized because the Utes’ most damaging and disappointing setback of the common season, which is roughly three-fourths over.
An hour or so earlier than the sport the athletic division introduced in a uncommon, however refreshingly clear information launch, that second-leading scorer and high 3-point shooter Gabe Madsen (11.7 factors per recreation) can be out 4-6 weeks with a decrease leg damage.
Then the Utes added insult to damage, dropping a recreation they have been favored to win by eight factors to an opponent with a NET rating of 120.
“Gabe has been an excellent participant for us,” Smith stated, noting how opponents focus their defensive recreation plans on two Utes — Madsen and main scorer Branden Carlson, a probable first-team All-Pac-12 performer. “He does so many issues for our group that helps make everyone higher.”
The Utes performed as poor of a primary half as they've at residence all season, for causes Smith had a tough time explaining in his postgame session with reporters.
They turned the ball over on three of their first seven possessions, threw up ill-advised 3-point makes an attempt, let Stanford’s greatest participant, Spencer Jones, get going early and even fouled a 3-point shooter with .4 seconds remaining within the first half.
When the mud had cleared and a late-arriving crowd — 6 p.m. weeknight ideas are killers — had lastly settled in, Stanford had a 46-31 halftime lead and the Utes regarded defeated.
Credit score the Utes for by no means quitting and making issues attention-grabbing within the second half, however what grew to a 17-point deficit and what Smith referred to as “only a potpourri of every part” proved an excessive amount of to beat. Utah’s lack of depth was uncovered, amongst different points.
Senior guard Bostyn Holt (decrease leg damage) was additionally unavailable, that means Utah had solely 10 scholarship gamers obtainable as a result of coaches sat on an open scholarship getting into the season — for the second straight season. Meals for thought: Did the teaching employees put too a lot inventory into BYU switch Gavin Baxter changing into a key a part of the rotation?
Baxter retired from basketball on Dec. 8, citing lingering accidents that made it unimaginable to return to kind.
Lazar Stefanovic began and performed considered one of his higher video games as a Ute, scoring a career-high 26 factors. Rollie Worster was once more in triple-double vary — 10 factors, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. However Madsen’s absence was noticeable.
Extra meals for thought: Why hasn’t the opposite switch from Cincinnati — level guard Mike Saunders Jr. — been in a position to work his method into the rotation? Smith has hinted that Saunders hasn’t practiced nicely, and left it at that.
Additionally, Stefanovic, Madsen, Worster and freshman Wil Exacte have been stable, leaving jiffy for Saunders or freshman Tarlac, who had three fouls in 3:28 of motion Thursday.
“I imply, (Madsen) is a very necessary key to our group. He areas the ground nice. He has an amazing shot. It's exhausting with out him. We knew it was going to be exhausting. We knew the fellows have to step up,” Stefanovic stated. “It shouldn’t have an effect on you emotionally actually an excessive amount of. You gotta prepare.
“Like, I don’t wish to use that as an excuse for not popping out prepared and being down 15 within the first half,” Stefanovic continued. “He's necessary for us. Hopefully he's going to be again quickly. However it shouldn’t be an excuse for taking place like that.”
When will Madsen return? The Cincinnati switch had a protecting boot on his proper foot Thursday night time. The Pac-12 match is roughly 5 weeks away, starting March 8 in Las Vegas, in order that looks as if an affordable objective.
“We didn’t know for positive till Wednesday that he wasn’t going to play … after he bought his outcomes, his follow-up outcomes again,” Smith stated. “However (teammates) knew. I believe that they had a reasonably good concept that odds have been he wasn’t going to play.”
Smith stated accidents are a part of sports activities — referencing the San Francisco 49ers having to make use of a fourth-string quarterback within the NFC championship recreation final Sunday.
“Gabe is an effective participant, however that's the reason you've got a group. You gotta construct a group, and guys gotta be prepared, and it's a little bit completely different as a result of a whole lot of the issues that we do undergo him. However that’s simply a part of sports activities,” Smith stated. “You gotta be capable to determine it out, and also you gotta have sufficient depth to make up for that.”
The Utes have an additional day to rebound, as a result of their subsequent recreation is Sunday at 4 p.m. within the Huntsman Middle in opposition to last-place California (2-9, 3-19).
Cal has misplaced six straight video games since knocking off Stanford 92-70 in Berkeley on Jan. 6. A type of losses was 75-46 to the Cardinal final week.
Whereas Utah was getting upset by Stanford on Thursday, Cal was dropping 59-46 to Colorado in Boulder. Cal led 27-24 at halftime, however ran out of offense within the second half whereas the Buffs have been scoring 35 factors.
Six-foot-9 senior Kuany Kuany was the one Golden Bear in double figures, registering 10 factors
The Bears performed with out main scorer Devin Askew — out for the season with a sports activities hernia — and DeJuan Clayton, who was sick.
Utah guard Gabe Madsen reacts to a knee damage after attempting to rebound the ball in opposition to Oregon on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. Madsen missed Utah’s loss to Stanford Thursday night time and is predicted to overlook 4 to 6 weeks
Andy Nelson, Related Press