Up first is a contest tonight against the UNLV Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Rebels (2-2) are coming off a victory over Bakersfield while Utah will be looking to bounce back after losing to Utah State a week ago.
“We will worry about UNLV obviously, but we really have to focus on ourselves getting better this time of year,” said Utes’ head coach Anthony Levrets. “Hopefully we can get better at defending and generally just improve dramatically from game to game in every game.”
Utah will especially be looking to improve its defensive performance in the second half. So far in 2013, the Utes have been outscored in the second half of games 111-94.
On the flip side, UNLV has outscored its opponents in the second half of games 152-144. The Rebels are led by senior guard Mia Bell, who is averaging 12.5 points per game. The most recent meeting between the two former Mountain West Conference foes was in 2011 when the Utes took UNLV down 55-44.
Second helpings of Plouffe
After playing UNLV, Utah will compete in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. There, the Utes will face the Marquette Golden Eagles, which features Katherine Plouffe, the twin sister of Utah forward Michelle Plouffe. Like her sister, who has made her mark on Utes’ basketball, Katherine Plouffe has received many awards during her collegiate career, including All-Big East Second Team and All-Big East Academic Team. Both Plouffes lead their teams in scoring and rebounding, but Michelle Plouffe says it’s obvious who the better player is.
“Is that even a question?” she said. “Me obviously. It’s going to be an epic battle between us.”
The Plouffes will spend time with each other on Thanksgiving and their parents will be flying out to watch them play. Michelle Plouffe is very grateful to have this opportunity to spend time and compete with someone she is so close to.
“It is so awesome,” she said. “It is obviously something that we will never forget, because it will be the only time it has ever happened […] it is going to be super fun.”
Not home for the holidays
Levrets has been a coach for 17 years and only once has he spent a Thanksgiving at home with his family. After the Utes’ game tonight, the team will practice on Wednesday and Thursday, then will eat a Thanksgiving meal together. Levrets said it will be a great time for players to bond together.
“It is not just the Thanksgiving, but it is the whole travel,” he said. “You need road trips, you need to travel, because some sort of adversity is going to happen. You do not sleep in your same bed, practice in your same gym, have your own locker room. It brings your team a little closer and hopefully it helps build a little toughness and competitiveness with this group as we go forward.”