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Show MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2008 Sports: Year in Review • THE COLLEGE TIMES B5 Former Ute making his mark as a Wolverine that year, but it's something Olsen will never forget. "It was pretty crazy," OlIt's a basketball dream sen said. "I grew up watchcome true that none of his ing those games and to be teammates will likely ever playing in il was unbelievexperience, no matter how able." Even though Utah has well they play. It's a dream that won't been back lo the tournament come true for him again, ei- since that year, Olsen hasn't. While Olsen was serving an ther. Alta graduate. Josh Ol- LDS mission, RayGiacoletti sen, played for Utah during took over as the Utes coach the 2003-04 season, when and Olsen wasn't in the new the Utes won the Mountain coach's plans. "1 guess 1 was West Conference tourna- lost in the shuffle," Olsen ment and entered the NCAA said. tournament as an 11 seed. Olsen got word from his Olsen's tournament ex- parents and former coaches perience lasted just one the Utes weren't planning on game; Utah lost to Boston offering him a scholarship College in the first round when he returned from his Ben Webster Sponseclilor Ken Hoglund / College Times Junior Josh Olsen (with the ball) raised his game near the end of the year. two-year service, so he was forced to look elsewhere. Utah Valley became the perfect fit. Coach Dick Hunsaker, who was an assistant coach for Rick Majerus before Olsen played at Utah, called Olsen and offered him a spot as a member of the Wolverines. Olsen joined the team his sophomore year, Utah Valley's third year as a Division I Independent team. But it meant no more NCAA tournament appearances for htm. UVSC is unable to qualify for postseason play, because it is still in provisional status until the 2009 season. Olsen is now in the middle of his second season, playing for Hunsaker and he's happy he made the transfer. "I was a little disappointed when I first found out Utah didn't want me, but Hunsaker is a lot like Majerus, and I liked Majerus, so UVSC has been good," Olsen said. "I am so happy to be here, and there's really no regrets." It's taken time for Olsen to understand what is expected of him, but Hunsaker believes Olsen can play better than he has so far. "He can be passive at See OLSEN • BB Winning for a quarter of a century It's been 25 years since the men's basketball team suffered a losing season Ben Webster Sports c-dnor There was a time when the men's basketball team knew what a losing record felt like. That was 25 years ago. This season the state's longest streak of winning seasons was on the line in the final game. Utah Valley was 14-14 going into its final game of the 2007-08 season. The doubts of whether the season would end with more wins than losses dissipated quickly as the Wolverines handed Cal State Bakersfield a blow-out loss. The win extended the streak that started with coach Vince Miner in the 1983-84 season. "That [getting a winning season] was really important for us," senior forward Jordan Brady said. "That was definitely the focus for this game, to get that win and come out on top." At one point in the season, that streak was in serious doubt. After a loss to LouisianaLafayette in January, the team was 6-13. With a fivegame losing streak and a four-game losing streak behind them, the Wolverines finished the season winning nine of their final 10 games. The only other time in the season Utah Valley had a winning record during the season was after a win over NAIA Great Falls, five games into the season. It's no coincidence those final 10 games came against fellow Independent teams. It was early in the season, with a majority of games on the road against Western Athletic Conference, Big East, and other mid-major teams, when the Wolverines struggled. After beating Great Falls to improve to 3-2, the team lost to San Francisco by five, gave away a home game to Portland State in overtime, then dropped games to Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and another home game to Boise State. It took heroics from junior Ryan Toolson to end the skid. Against Southern Utah, Utah Valley trailed by as many as 15 points, but Toolson forced overtime with a contested three-pointer, and he wasn't close to being finished. Toolson forced a second overtime with another threepointer and finished off the S M M E N S B B A L L - 88 111 S n O r t , After starting the season 3-2, the men's basketball team went on a season-long five-game losing streak. It didn't help having six home games in the first 20 of the season. The team turned the season around by winning nine of its last 10 games. Highlight: With Ryan Toolson's career high 38 points came a thrilling overtime win against Chicago State for the team's fifth straight win late in the season. L O W l I g n t ! In the team's third home game of the season Portland State made a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left in the game, leaving the Wolverines with a shot at a game-winner. The shot was short and Utah Valley lost In overtime. Ken Hoglund / College Times 2007-08 at a glance Record 15-14 Junior Ryan Toolson (10) gets an up-close look at Jordan Brady's defense. Both players were vital to the Wolverines getting another winning season. By the numbers Honors Independent Player of the Year: Ryan Toolson Independent Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan Brady First team All-Independent: Ryan Toolson and Jordan Brady average for senior Jordan Brady-led all Independent players. Scoring average for junior Ryan Tool1 son-led all Independent players. Numberof winning seasons in a row for men's basketball team. Ryan T^plson's free Throw percentage this seson— led the nation. —-i—. |