It’s been four years coming for the Runnin’ Utes to be back on top of the Mountain West Conference, where they have historically proven they belong.
Monday, the Utes were voted as the No. 26 ranked team in the country, by both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. With upcoming games against some of the meat of the conference this week in UNLV and BYU, Utah could see itself cracking the Top 25 for the first time since 2005.
“Big week for our program,” said head coach Jim Boylen. “I thought the bye week came at a good time. We practiced hard Friday and Saturday and had Sunday off. We’ll get back at it (Monday) and we’ll be ready for UNLV.”
With a Ratings Percentage Index (a combination of the team’s winning percentage, its opponents’ winning percentage and their opponents’ winning percentage) of 11 in the country, wins over two top 25 teams and a seven-game win streak in conference play, it’s hard to see why Utah isn’t in the Top 25 already.
“Maybe a little disappointed that we’re not ranked in the Top 25,” Boylen said. “I don’t really understand it. Don’t really get into it much but thankful to be 26th. Our RPI and our schedule strength are both in the Top 25, but we’re 26th, so who knows?”
Cracking the Top 25 is more of a nicety than a necessity, as the Utes set out to achieve a different goal at the beginning of the season.
Boylen has talked to his team about hanging a first-place banner in the Huntsman Center all season. If national attention isn’t the motivation for picking up wins, doing it for the sake of a No. 1 seed in the MWC tournament might be.
“That would be great,” said guard Lawrence Borha. “To be number one in the Mountain West Conference tournament and to go in the tournament having a great seed and make a good run8212;that’s going to be good for us. If we break the Top 25 that would be fine, but it’s just the Top 25.”
Borha said that taking these final four games, or “the gauntlet,” one game at a time is key to them picking up wins. The first game of their schedule begins tonight against UNLV, which is looking for its first sweep of the teams in Utah in school history.
Following the game against the Rebels, Utah will play BYU in Provo, New Mexico at the Pit and finish off this roller coaster season at home against TCU. The Lobos and Cougars are tied for second at 8-4, two games behind the Utes.
“Tough four games,” Borha said. “But you know, that’s what the league is all about, playing in tough games. UNLV is going to be a hard-fought game and we know that we have to come out with passion and energy.”
If the Utes don’t beat the Rebels, it’ll all be up in the air. Utah’s last loss was eight games ago against UNLV, when the Utes blew a 12-point halftime lead to lose 75-65.
Tyler CobbAfter a week off Lawrence Borha and the Utes now have a tough road ahead of them to finish the season. Utah starts tonight when they face UNLV at the Huntsman Center.