The Runnin’ Utes might be one of the best shooting teams in the country this preseason. However, head coach Jim Boylen would rather focus on another aspect of the game that “wins championships”8212;defense.
The Utes improved their field-goal percentage defense from No. 322 in the country in 2006-2007 to No. 73 last season, and hope to crack the Top 20 this year. The Utes spend time each practice honing their defensive skills, something that Boylen said his team should and can improve on.
“Our defense is not where it needs to be,” Boylen said. “We have to become a defensive team. We were a pretty good defensive team last year, but we still have to improve on playing defense late in the clock.”
Earlier this year at training camp, the Utes set goals to improve on two other aspects of the game8212;rebounding and transition basketball. They worked hard and Boylen is happy they have achieved their goals.
Beside these three goals, the Utes also wanted to improve on what Boylen called “special teams.” This includes blocks, slots, press breakers and other overlooked necessities. Although the team has not worked on them, it will when the team nears the beginning of the season.
During practice, the veterans of the team looked to help the younger guys pick up the plays, and in some cases, run the offense.
Freshman guard Jace Tavita might receive a substantial amount of playing time this season and could also be called on to run the team at the point guard position. Although he was a star at Brighton High School, Tavita got a reality check when he joined the team this year.
“(College) is a big difference, it’s a big jump,” Tavita said. “Everyone’s better. Everyone was the best player at their high school, so it’s just a lot better.”
Another freshman who will see some time on the court this season is Jordan Cyphers. The 6-foot-4-inch forward out of Wichita, Kan., looked like a veteran in practice. Kansas’ Mr. Basketball hasn’t been afraid to pull the trigger with a man or two on him and will knock down a good percentage of his shots.
With the regular season right around the corner, the prospective starting lineup for the Runnin’ Utes consists of seniors Tyler Kepkay and Lawrence Borha in the backcourt, Shaun Green and Kim Tillie at the forward positions, and has preseason all-Mountain West Conference center Luke Nevill rounding out the starting five.
The bench will be versatile and strong for Boylen. Junior point guard Luka Drca has an Andrei Kirilenko-type style to his game and can quarterback the team at times. Sophomore guard Carlon Brown has an improving shot and is the most athletic player on the team. Sophomore forward Morgan Grim has a lot of basketball savvy and should be a good role player.
The Runnin’ Utes will continue to sharpen their skills in practice, working on becoming a team that can take home a MWC title and potentially earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Their non-conference schedule is the toughest it’s been in more than two decades. If they can pick up wins against the four big schools on their schedule8212;Oregon, California, Oklahoma and Gonzaga8212;they will be in good shape to implement some madness come March.