The road traveled gets no easier for the Runnin’ Utes.
Utah (5-3) has to, once again, toss aside the memory of a tough loss to focus on a difficult road game this weekend, as it takes on the No. 5 and 9-0 Oklahoma Sooners.
After Cal spoiled the Utes’ second-half comeback, Utah looks to face one of the most well-rounded teams in the country. Oklahoma is the prototypical Big 12 team this season, in that it dominates teams down low and tears teams apart on the boards.
“They’re a better opponent than Cal and Oregon,” said Ute guard Carlon Brown. “We just gotta come together as a group, get our assignments done and come out and compete.”
For the first time this season, the Utes will get national publicity. The mantra of Utah this season has been being able to play in big games. Against the Sooners, it could be a tough task.
“It’s a live audience, ESPN2, everybody’s excited,” Brown said. “We need a win, so we gotta play like there’s no tomorrow.”
Oklahoma is outscoring, outrebounding and outplaying its opponents this season. The Sooners have played some pushover opponents in Tulsa and Maine and some quality opponents in Davidson and USC. The main difference is, as the games come down to the wire, the Sooners find a way to win.
The Utes might be without the likes of two of their five starters this Saturday. After trading blows down low with Cal forward Harper Kemp, center and leading scorer Luke Nevill tweaked his hip and said that he is “unsure” about playing against the Sooners. If this is the case, the Utes might have an even tougher time controlling 6-foot-10, 250-lb. All-American candidate Blake Griffin.
“Nobody feels sorry for anybody at this level,” said Ute head coach Jim Boylen. “Guys get hurt, you gotta move on, you play the guys you have and we’ll keep doing that.”
Griffin has led the team in scoring and rebounding in all nine wins this season for the Sooners, earning an average of 24 points and 15 rebounds per game. With a powerhouse such as Griffin, the Utes might be doomed without a healthy 7-foot-2-inch Nevill, who, like Griffin, is the team’s leader at 18.5 points per game and 8.5 boards per contest.
Point guard Luka Drca is still expected to be out for another nine to 10 days with an ankle sprain, meaning Boylen will have to decide whether or not he wants to start true freshman guard Jace Tavita again or senior Tyler Kepkay.
He stuck with the role of pulling Kepkay off the bench against Cal, allowing him to check out the floor before heading out. Boylen claimed that he was happy with Tavita’s performance, even though he didn’t put up any points. But in a game against a top five team, starting a senior8212;and a scorer at that8212;might be the way to go.
Kepkay is averaging a little more than 10 points per game this season, making a huge impact in big games. He was the leading scorer with 23 points against Oregon and put up 17 against Cal.
Tyler CobbLuke Nevill is unsure if he will be able to play Saturday in Oklahoma. The loss of Nevill will make stopping Oklahoma?s Blake Griffin more challenging.