Utah Utes Game Preview and Open Thread

Date: Saturday, 2/11/16

Tip-Off Time: 1:30pm PST

TV: FS1

Radio: Komo 1000

Utah Statistics:

Record: 16-8 (7-5)

Points For per Game: 79.6 ppg (40th)

Points Against per Game: 70.3 ppg (112th)

Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 113.1 (44th)

Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 99.2 (71st)

Utah Key Players:

For individual player descriptions, check out what I wrote before the first matchup: here.

F- Kyle Kuzma, Jr. 6-9, 225: 15.8ppg, 10.2rpg, 2.5apg, 48.6% FG, 64.2% FT, 27.7% 3pt

F- David Collette, Jr. 6-8, 220: 14.6ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.3apg, 62.4% FG, 61.3% FT

G- Devon Daniels, Fr. 6-5, 200: 10.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.8ppg, 58.3% FG, 70.7% FT, 40% 3pt

G- JoJo Zamora, Jr. 6-2, 190: 7.9ppg, 1.6rpg, 1.3apg, 47.9% FG, 80.6% FT, 39.4% 3pt

G- Lorenzo Bonam, Sr. 6-4, 195: 13.0ppg, 3.1rpg, 3.0apg, 58.7% FG, 80.8% FT, 31.3% 3pt

The Outlook

Going into the first Utah game I felt like this was a terrible matchup for the Dawgs and things have only gotten worse in the interim. UW has been playing an increasing amount of zone since that game in Seattle so it's possible that it will help against Utah's punishing inside attack. None of that will even begin to matter though with Markelle Fultz out again for the Huskies. For the 1% of people out there who felt David Crisp could be a decent point guard those thoughts are now gone after the Colorado debacle. There are 3 new guards in next year's class who can handle the ball but for now, Fultz is the only person on the team capable of setting up teammates consistently and effectively. The UW offense just simply isn't functional without him on the floor.

Utah has struggled recently though. The Utes swept the Washington road trip by a combined 63 points. In the 5 games since, they are 2-3 with the only wins coming by 8 at home over 12th place Oregon State and by 4 at home against 10th place Washington State. Given that this is a home game against 11th place Washington, the trends would suggest a 6 point Utes victory.

Utah was just 2 of 15 from beyond the arc in their close win over the Cougs on Thursday and it would take a similar kind of effort to keep UW in it on Saturday. Wazzu lost by 41 at home to Utah and only fell by 4 on Thursday. UW only lost by 22 in the first matchup so they'd only need to make up a little over half that margin to squeak out a win. But even with their best player, UW would be a heavy underdog against Utah and his absence makes this all but a foregone conclusion.

Prediction

Washington Huskies- 65, Utah Utes- 92