The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a facelift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference, breaking down each team beginning with the Pac-12.
The Utah Utes were one of the more surprising teams in college basketball last season. With their top six scorers back from a year ago, Larry Krystowiak’s crew should take another step this season and get back to the NCAA Tournament.
UTAH UTES
Last season: T-8th, 9-9 in Pac-12, 21-12 overall
Predicted Pac-12 Finish: 3rd
Projected Depth Chart
C: Dallin Bachynski (Sr)/Jeremy Olsen (Jr)/Jakob Poeltl (Fr)
F: Jordan Loveridge (Jr)/Brekkott Chapman (Fr)/Chris Reyes (Jr)
SF: Dakari Tucker (Jr)/Kyle Kuzma (Fr)
G: Delon Wright (Sr)/Kenneth Ogbe (So)
PG: Brandon Taylor (Jr)/Isaiah Wright (Fr)
Gone: PF-Renan Lenz, C-Marko Kovacevic, G/F-Princeton Onwas (transfer-San Jose State), SG-Ahmad Fields (transfer-Drexel)
2014-2015 Outlook:
A huge reason for Utah’s turnaround last season was the emergence of JUCO transfer, Delon Wright. The 6-5 combo guard was one of the most versatile players in the country averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He and Brandon Taylor form one of the more underrated backcourts in the country and should lead the charge for the Utes.
The starting frontcourt is also intact from last season led by Jordan Loveridge who averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Dakari Tucker is a solid role player and dangerous three-point threat. The duo of Dillon Bachynski and Jeremy Olsen provide size inside but neither guy is the most skilled offensive player.
With their starting five in place, Utah has some holes to fill on their bench. Kenneth Ogube played sparingly as a freshman and should see an increased role off the bench as a sophomore. The Utes do get a frontcourt boost with the addition of top 50 recruit, Brekkott Chapman who is a versatile, skilled lefty. He, skilled redshirt freshman Kyle Kuzma, and former Saint Mary’s and junior college transfer Chris Reyes give Krystowiak plenty of options and depth up-front.
It makes sense as to why the Utah Utes are one of the sexy sleeper picks in the country this season. With an experienced returning starting five, the team should take another step forward and return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/18 at San Diego State
12/3 vs. Wichita State
12/10 at BYU
12/13 at Kansas
12/20 at UNLV
OTHER PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.