Following Saturday’s 79-75 overtime loss to Colorado, Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak talked about changes that needed to be made to help the Utes rebound better. In its last two games, Utah has been soundly beaten on the glass by 18 and 11 respectively. In the post-game presser, Krystkowiak said he was thinking about moving sophomore forward Jordan Loveridge to the wing and starting two big guys to improve the team’s chances on the glass. After having a weekend to think about it, he was singing a slightly different tune on Monday.
“I was a little fired up post-game,” Krystkowiak said. “I have to come up with a better lineup against Arizona and Colorado. They’re the top rebounding teams in the leagues, and we need to play bigger. Then you have Washington and Washington State, who may not play as big, coming in this week. We can’t completely change everything, but we need to adjust. We got pummeled on the glass in both games. The rebounding, 50-50 balls and toughness plays are all areas where we have to improve.”
The 50-50 balls played a major contribution in the last two losses. If Utah is able to corral a few of those, it could have a couple of upsets in its back pocket. As is, Utah still has not tasted victory away from the Huntsman Center this season, but Krystkowiak doesn’t see a lot that needs to be changed in order to get victories.
“I think we have the right formula in regards to preparation and what the kids are doing every day,” Krystkowiak said. “Vince Lombardi said ‘Winning is the only thing.’ Well, that’s not always true. I think we should be winning more games, but we have put a system in place that leads me to feel that the victories will come.”
 
Loveridge struggling
Going into the 2013-14 campaign it was expected by many that Loveridge would take the reins of the Utes and become the team’s leader, both on and off the court. Loveridge, in a lot of ways, has done just that, but is coming off two of his worst shooting performances of the season. Against Arizona, he was 4-of-14 from the field, following that up with a 2-for-11 shooting performance against Colorado.
“It’s not easy right now, and I’ve been meeting with him,” Krystkowiak said. “Dealing with success and adversity is a process, it’s part of being a sophomore. He had a nice freshman year, but this season has come with some adversity. He’s been down on his confidence lately, and that’s going to happen. We have some opportunities coming up where he can get out of this little slump.”
 
This kid’s al(W)right 
Junior transfer Delon Wright has been the Ute’s most consistent player this season. Last weekend, the NBA prospect guard put in major work against Colorado, recording 17 points, 11 assists, seven steals and three rebounds as he showcased his elite skill set.
“He leads us in a lot of different categories, and I hate to think about where we’d be without him,” Krystkowiak said. “His leadership is improving every day. He was the new guy on the block, and now he’s starting to bring guys under his wing. I think he’s gaining confidence but knows there are still improvements he needs to make. He can’t get complacent.”
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