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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Friday, January 18, 2013 7 Utes aim to jump-start their game Michael Smith STAFF WRITER In an effort to snap a five-game losing streak, the Utes are making some changes tonight against the Arizona Wildcats. The Utes (9-6, 0-4 Pac-12) are going to alter their starting lineup in hopes of changing their recent fortunes. Fresh- man Paige Crozon will get her first collegiate start at the two-guard, and senior Rachel Messer will be coming off the bench for the first time this season. "It's just to shake things up a bit, and to get some things going offensively," said head coach Anthony Levrets. "Hopefully it will give us a boost." Forward Michelle Plouffe agrees. "I don't think it can hurt to try it out," KARINA PUIKKONEN/The Daily Utah Chronicle Freshman Paige Crozon gets her first collegiate start tonight against the Arizona Wildcats at the Huntsman Center. Plouffe said. "Maybe it will give us the spark we need." Both Levrets and Plouffe said Messer will provide instant scoring off the bench, and because she's a senior she will handle the change well. A lineup change isn't all it will take to jump-start the Utes' offense, though. The Utes have struggled mightily from beyond the 3-point arc and shot just 27 percent in their most recent loss to Colorado. Plouffe's answer to this issue is simple — take fewer shots from outside. "I can attack more," Plouffe said. "I think that's something I did last game — get to the free-throw line more." That's something she will have to do to stop the Wildcat offense from having fast breaks. Arizona (io-5, 2-2 Pac12) comes into Salt Lake City boasting a 5-2 road record and is coming off a 32-point blowout of Oregon in which they dropped ioo points on the Ducks. If the Utes can't curtail the Wildcats, it will be tough to come back. "[Arizona] are a really good offensive basketball team," Levrets said. "They have really good guards and they want to push the tempo in transition. It will be a challenge for us to get those guards stopped." Senior guard Davellyn Whyte is Arizona's leading scorer, averaging more than i6 points per contest. Kama Griffitts, who is in her first year with the program after transferring from a junior college, is the Wildcats' other standout guard, but she also spots up as a forward. She averages H.5 points and grabs more than five rebounds a game. The Utes desperately need a win to turn their season around. Utah is the only team besides Oregon winless in conference play. Their immediate schedule doesn't get much easier as Cal and Stanford follow Utah's games against the Wildcats and Arizona State. Utah hasn't found much solace in the Huntsman Center, either, as it is just 6-5 in Salt Lake City, but Plouffe believes a win would make the Utes feel more comfortable playing at home. "We just need that one Pac-12 game under our belt," Plouffe said. "I think that it's going to be this weekend." m.smith@chronicle.utah.edu Twitter:smithmichael8 MEN'S TENNIS University Team hopes early success will carry on to tougher matches Connor Wallace STAFF WRITER The men's tennis team will open their season Saturday with two games, one scheduled against Weber State at noon followed by one against Idaho State at 5 p.m. Both matches will take place at the Eccles Tennis Center. The Utes' fall season ended with an impressive showing by the team in the ITA Mountain Regional Championships. The team was led by sophomore Slim Hamza, who won the consolation singles championship title, and senior Dmytro Mamedov, who advanced to the singles quarterfinals. As a result of their strong play, both have ranked in the top-ioo singles players in the country heading into the spring. Assistant coach Roeland Brateanu believes the importance of starting off the season with two wins can't be understated. "I think that the guys have prepared very hard over the last year," Brateanu said. "They See TENNIS Page 8 MEDIA SALES GROUP THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH 3 7 9 8 6 4 2 5 5 6 9 8 1 9 7 2 1 7 4 3 2 6 5 2 4 8 00 3 ANSWER TO TODAY'S PUZZLE S I S TH EB IG SH OR T T N T BE AT LE MA NI A ADA SAMUELAL I TO P R I N T S N O R W R E S DOSHOT KATT U N C L E S A M A R T E R Y SPREE SMOKY TL PR IM IOUS TOP P DO ANEF LEI A ELKHOUND EEP IN AT TY DHARMAS DEMISE SE I SAKI EVALONGOR I A LEO FACEREALITY LYN THEREDROVER S S MI 5 7 6 , 4 6 www.popculturecomics.com C) Doug Bratton 2007 ERIN BURNS/The Daily Utah Chronicle File Photo After a successful fall season, senior Dmytro Mamedov has been ranked in the top-100 singles players in the country heading into the spring season. Donate plasma today and earn up to $300 a month!' Who knew I could earn money, save lives, and get free wi-fi at the same time? 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