On the college basketball bubble watch, many analysts believe the Utes have locked up a bid in the NCAA tournament. Their Rating Percentage Index is the ninth best in the country. With a strength of schedule at No. 12, they could wear blindfolds against New Mexico and TCU and still see the March Madness light when selections are made.
If they play the way they did against BYU on Saturday afternoon, I would give them about a 16-seed. Here’s your plane ticket. Enjoy the loss. See you back home soon.
Fans can start calling this season a success. As a sophomore coach, head coach Jim Boylen has electrified this team to a 20-win season and shocked the state. Using the pieces Ray Giacoletti left behind, he has brought back life to a monster that can walk the walk and talk the talk.
The problem is that when sent on the road in the midst of angry villagers, the monster looks every bit as bad as its leftover parts.
Luka Drca is the head. The body runs around lost without him. During the eight-game winning streak that led up to the BYU game, he had what Boylen called “ice water running through his veins.” When the dust had settled in the team’s last matchup with the Cougars back on Jan. 27, Drca had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
On Saturday, the only stat that came close to those numbers was his six turnovers.
Drca looked lazy and careless with the ball, spending most of the second half playing keep-away from Luke Nevill. It was indicative of a serious problem for the future hopes of a player going to the big dance for the first time in his career. His slippery fingers were hidden in the games leading up to BYU because the games were wins. Still, Drca had four turnovers against Colorado State and equaled that number against UNLV at home. He now has 14 turnovers in just three games and is above his average from a lackluster sophomore year.
The team can call this season a success if they want. Twenty wins is 20 wins, but now it’s time for Boylen to consider the future of Utah basketball.
Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology has had the Utes going as high as a six seed. This loss will likely drop them a spot or two, but there is a good chance Utah will remain in the top 32. If they finish out the season as the same team that lost in Provo, lower seeds will be aching to play the non-Bowl Championship Series team.
Even if they fall below an eight seed, the Utes will squander their chance for future recruits with Drca throwing the ball into the stands and the rest of the team launching 3s that are close to going into orbit.
Now is a crucial time for this team to reveal its identity. The monster will soon receive its invitation to the dance. Now it has to prove it belongs there.
Nick Pappas