The young Runnin’ Utes will have a chance to improve to 2-0 on Tuesday night when they host the Rhode Island Rams at the Huntsman Center.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Coming off a 74-59 win over Texas State in their opener, the Utes have been working on correcting the mistakes that kept them from pulling away from the Bobcats until late in the game.
The Utes were plagued by turnovers all evening, committing 15 on the game, including nine in the first half.
“We need to be strong with the ball,” Ute point guard Tim Drisdom said. “We need to break up the pressure from the other team.”
In order to shake some things up and try to get a more consistent attack, Ute head coach Ray Giacoletti has made a small change to tonight’s starting lineup.
Freshman Shaun Green will get the start at power forward over junior Jonas Langvad.
In his first NCAA game, Green scored five points and hauled in three rebounds.
Green also pitched in with three steals on defense, something Giacoletti makes sure his players view as a priority.
Langvad was held to zero points and two rebounds against Texas State while only playing 15 minutes to Green’s 27.
The Rams come into the game also at 1-0 after winning their opener, 56-50 over Sacred Heart.
Senior forward Jamaal Wise led Rhode Island with 13 points. The squad returns seven players from last year’s 6-22 team that finished fifth in the Atlantic-10 conference’s east division.
The home game will give the Utes their last chance to get ready for a tough stretch that will see them play three-out-of-four on the road.
They play in-state rival Weber State in Ogden this Saturday, followed by a match up with Utah State at the Huntsman Center on Nov. 30. and road games with Rice and Colorado.
After earning MWC Coach of the Year honors last season, Giacoletti added another accolade Monday for the 2004-2005 Sweet-16 campaign.
He was named the Playboy magazine National Coach of the Year, an award given out in the magazine’s 2005 preseason issue.
Giacoletti led the Utes to their fourth-best record in school history and was the winningest first-year coach in Division-I last season.