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Show 4 January 14,2011 Utes struggle to break losing streak 1. BYU 17-1 (3-0 MWC) Previous Ranking: 3 Last Game: Beat Utah 104 - 79 2.SDSU 18-0 (3-0 MWC) Previous Ranking: Last Game: Beat UNLV 55 -49 3.New Mexico 13-4 (1-1 MWC) Previous Ranking: 4 NEW AlEAC7C0 January 14,2011 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Last Game: Beat CSU 68-6i 4. UNLV 13-4 (1-2) Previous Ranking: 2 Last Game: Lost to SDSU 55-49 5.Air Force 10-5 (1-1) Previous Ranking: 7 Last Game: Lost to BYU 76-66 6.Colorado State 11-5 (1-1) Previous Ranking: 6 Last Game: Lost to New Mexico 68-61 7. Wyoming 8-9 (1-2) Previous Ranking: 9 Last Game: Lost to TCU 78-60 8.TCU 10-8 (1-2) Previous Ranking: 8 Last Game: Beat Wyoming 78-60 9.Utah 7-10 (0-3) Previous Ranking: 5 Last Game: Lost to BYU 104-79 Allegiance aside, Fredette deserves some applause Cowboys give team chance to 'clean things up' Jake Bullinger STAFF WRITER After back-to-back games against top-10 opponents, the win-starved Utes' next obstacle should be an easier challenge. Utah (7-10, 0-3 MWC) will attempt to end its seven-game losing streak against the Wyoming Cowboys (8-9, 1-2) Saturday in Laramie. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium. The Utes understand the gravity of their slide, but are still trying to remain positive about the season's outlook. "We have positives that we talk about, we have things that we need to improve on," said Utah head coach Jim Boylen. "There's a lot of good things that happened in our games, but there's a lot of things that we have to get better at. We got to clean things up and retouch things and get better. But I have got a willing group that's trying." Even when rehashing the Jan. 8 blowout at the hands of BYU, Boylen saw promising signs. "(Will) Clyburn gets his fourth 20-point game, Shawn Glover gets io-plus rebounds for the first time, J.J. O'Brien gets his first career double-double," Boylen said. "You have to build on those positive things and learn from your mistakes." Boylen has preached to his players that it is those mistakes, not a lack of skill, that cost the Utes these past seven games. True to their character, the Utes have taken their coach's comments to heart. "We have to stop beating ourselves," Clyburn said. "We've got to stop turning the ball over, and we're not sharing the ball like we should. We can do a lot better at it. We just got to keep grinding down the stretch and keep working together." Although the Utes are still optimistic, they can't be happy about their position in the standings. Utah is last in the Mountain West Conference, sitting behind the Cowboys—a team that has been a bottom-feeder for much of the past decade. Despite a lack of success in recent years, Wyoming's unique makeup and environment make it a dangerous home team. The Cowboys are 8-2 at Arena-Auditorium this season. "They're a terrific individual offensive team, and we've always struggled to guard them in a one-on-one situation," Boylen said. "I also think the altitude will be an adjustment for some of our guys." Laramie sits at 7,165 feet above sea lev- I el. Nevertheless, Boylen doesn't want his team to slow down to accommodate the thin air. "We need to be a running team," Boylen said. "We have to try to score the ball early in the (shot) clock and execute later in the clock, but we've got some guys that can run. We've got multiple ball handlers in the lineup...we're hard to guard in transition." The Cowboys are led in scoring by sophomore guard Desmar Jackson, who is posting 15.4 points per game. Jackson scored 31 and 21 points in the teams' two meetings last season. Following Jackson is Djibril Thiam at 11.6 points per game and Amath M'Baye at 10.2 points per game. Thiam, M'Baye, and Jackson also lead the Cowboys in rebounding. Utah might once again be shorthanded in the frontcourt, as Jay Watkins is day-today with back spasms. Watkins has missed consecutive games because of his back. "That's been a theme we've had over the last year and a half," Boylen said of the team's injuries. "We don't know who's going to practice, and we have to change the starting lineup because of injury...it gets a little frustrating but I don't think you can worry about that. You've got to play with the guys you've got." Although the Utes are shorthanded and win-deprived, desperation has yet to creep over the team. "We don't have a sense of urgency," Clyburn said. "We just got to keep learning, playing. This is a young group, a new group, so we are just going to keep playing, working and try to get better." j.bullinger@chronicle.utah.edu MEN'S BASKETBALL Season Utah StatS Wyoming 70.9 Points / game 68.3 FG% .432 .457 .291 .319 3-point FG% .721 FT% .691 36.9 Rebounds/game 32.4 10.1 Assists / game 10.9 14.4 Turnovers / game 14.5 4.9 Steals / game 7.8 5.2 Blocks / game 3.5 5 SPENCER SANDSTROM/The Daily Utah Chronicle Utah guard Will Clyburn dunks during Tuesday's loss to BYU. It was Clyburn's fourth consecutive 20-point game. t was one of the biggest performances ever on U campus, and one that caused the rest of the naCORBIN tion to take notice. GODFREY Too bad it wasn't from ,404. a Ute. Yes, Jimmer Fredette's explosive 47-point perforStaffWriter mance Tuesday night was the kind of game where you felt Basketball fans on campus lucky to be in attendance, and who say they don't like Frethe kind of game people watchdette, or that they don't think ing at home wished they were he is a good basketball player at. Fredette's half-court shot to need to go see their counselor end the first half was featured and change their major to common sense. If I had a kid who as ESPN SportsCenter's top play of the night, giving people loved basketball, and I wanted around the nation a small taste to take him to see the best in of what is being called "Jimmer- the state, I would drive right mania." past the Huntsman Center, Yes, he's not a Ute, but Utah right past the Energy Solutions basketball fans—and those Arena, get on the interstate and who are just plain basketball head south to Happy Valley. fans—should have nothing But since I don't have a kid, I but great things to say about do have the next best thingFredette's performance. It was DVR. I haven't ruled out naming my first born Jimmer, girl flat-out insane, and a performance that will be talked or boy. about for years to come. The So if you are hating on FreHuntsman Center seating dette, think to yourself, "Why?" capacity is about 15,000, but Is it because you honestly thousands more will claim think he's not a good basketthey were there. ball player, or is it because he There were a few respectable hails from The School Down Utah fans who cheered Fredette South and wears blue on gameafter the game in respect for night? Please, take off your his performance. Let's be honhater-shades, put that glass of est, the guy deserved a standHaterade down and just give the ing ovation from every single guy his due. Any publicity for person in that stadium, whether sports in Utah is good publicithey were a Utah fan, a BYU fan ty—well, besides the publicity or a "Honey-I-don't-even-likeUtah's basketball team brings basketball-can-we-please-gothis year. home?" fan. This is what Utah students and fans should be thinking, After the game, Utah head coach Jim Boylen seemed dazed "Hey, that Jimmer Fredette is over what he had witnessed. a darn good basketball player, How was he supposed to and I really enjoy watching him play, even though he explain what just happened? plays for BYU. He and his It's not like Utah gave Fredette a clear lane to the basket on school deserve all the attention." every possession. No, the Utes did their best to lock FreIt must be hard not knowing dette down, but it was just his what a BCS Bowl win feels like, night-hitting, 3-point shot after let alone two. Rah-rah, Cougars, 3-point shot with a hand in his rah-rah. face. Fredette was simply in the c.godfrey@ zone. chronicle.utah.edu |