With the season nearing its end, Utah is looking to finish strong with some big wins — a task easier said than done.
The Utes’ regular season closes with two games at home, the first on Thursday night against USC. The last time the two teams met — back in January — the Trojans finished on a 17-2 run, ultimately leading to a Utah defeat, 55-47.
According to head coach Anthony Levrets, there is nothing in particular they need to do to avoid recreating the debacle from the previous meeting.
“We kind of gotten to the point where we are who we are,” Levrets said. “There is not going to be any magic potion this weekend. You just hope that everything that you have done throughout the course of the year, by the time the season is over, is stuck enough that against good teams at the end of the year you have a chance to win.”
The Utes stand out as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the Pac-12. The team currently ranks fourth in the conference, shooting 36 percent from behind the arc. Junior Cheyenne Wilson and senior Ciera Dunbar lead the way for Utah as both are in the top 15 in the Pac-12 for individual three-point shooting.
For Dunbar, it will be one of the final games she will play in a Ute uniform, and she claims ball control is going to decide who will win or lose the game. In its previous meeting with USC, Utah committed 21 turnovers.
“Defense and, I also think, handling the pressure [are the keys to the game],” Dunbar said. “The last time we played them, their pressure really got to us down the stretch, and we ended up losing a close game.”
The Trojans are currently on a three-game losing streak, losing their last two on their home court. They are led by senior Cassie Harberts, who is 11th in the league in scoring and rebounds for the season. In addition to her offensive capabilities, Harberts is also the team’s leading defensive threat with 24 blocks and 29 steals on the year.
Since there is limited time left, Levrets wants his team to take things lightly and enjoy the time the team has with each other. With the season nearly over, he does not want his players to feel stressed over placing when it comes to the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament.
“Hopefully we can just have a really fun time this weekend,” Levrets said. “A fun week of practice and a fun time getting your last long week together as a team before heading into the conference tournament.”
Utah will also be hosting UCLA on Sunday, which will be Senior Night, where the Utes will honor their departing players. The Bruins have lost their last two games and currently have a losing record within the conference.
With struggling teams coming to Salt Lake City, Levrets hopes his team will be at their best when the games begin.
“Both teams coming in here are good,” Levrets said. “Hopefully we will be playing our best basketball at the end of the year here. Whether we win or lose here, hopefully it is our best basketball.”
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