The Utes have been able to win seven straight games at home, but to make the NCAA Tournament, they’ll have to apply that success on the road.
For the next two games, Utah will be tested against two of the best home teams in the conference8212;starting with TCU tonight, then Wyoming on Saturday. Tonight’s matchup with the Horned Frogs marks the halfway point in the season. If the Utes pick up a win, they will remain in first place at 6-2 in the conference and will be on pace for a No. 1 seed going into the Mountain West Conference for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
With the top six teams all within one loss of each other, a premium has been put on picking up road wins.
That’s easier said than done, considering the distance teams have to travel and the fact that the conference spans three different time zones.
“It’s a tough league. I don’t know if people that aren’t in the league realize that,” said Utah head coach Jim Boylen. “I did not realize that before I got here, so it’s something I had to learn.”
Compounding the travel logistics this season is the way both the Pokes and the Horned Frogs are defending their home courts. TCU lost its most recent home game to New Mexico on Jan. 24, but on the season it is 9-2 in the Coliseum, with its only other home loss coming from Nebraska. The Cowboys are the best home team in the conference with a 10-0 record in Laramie, Wyo.
“There’s a lot of big games left in the league, there’s a lot of big road games left for people,” Boylen said. “12-4, 11-5 might be a winner or tied for the championship if you look at the schedules.”
TCU started conference play strong, but has fallen off the stump, losing its last two by 17 points each. However, don’t expect that to ease the tension for Utah. Boylen’s philosophy has been one game at a time and with an athletic TCU team, anything can happen.
“I’m concerned about TCU’s quickness, concerned about their toughness,” Boylen said. “They’ve improved tremendously from last year and they got a little buzz going on down there about what they’re doing and rightfully so.”
Aside from athleticism, Utah will have difficulty matching up with one of the bigger teams in the league. With a slew of 6-foot-8 forwards all weighing more than 200 pounds, TCU could give Utah trouble down low if Luke Nevill’s presence isn’t enough.
“We just have to be physical and we have to guard individual players,” said Lawrence Borha. “TCU has great individual one-on-one players and our defense has to be big. We got to have our strength going. We have to have Luke (Nevill) dominate, so we just have to be on all cylinders.”