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A pair of players Utah hopes will suit up next season were sitting on the Huntsman Center floor on Thursday night.
Among the spectators for the Runnin' Utes were transfers David Collette and Sedrick Barefield. Collette's addition to the team was announced Wednesday, and the 6-foot-10 forward from Utah State enrolled in school earlier in the week. Barefield, a 6-foot-2 guard from Southern Methodist University, committed on Wednesday and is expected to be officially added to the team soon.
Both will have to wait until next season, likely after the fall semester, to play for the Utes. But both Collette and Barefield took in the game behind the Utah bench and hope to practice with the team in the coming days.
Collette's father, Jeff Collette, told The Tribune that his son had passed a physical exam and was waiting to get approval from Utah compliance to practice with the team. For the family, it's a much-anticipated step forward after an acrimonious departure from the Aggies last November.
"I think he's happy with Utah," Jeff Collette said. "Utah has a good team; Utah has a good coach. I think he'll do just fine there."
Collette averaged more than 12 points and 5 rebounds per game for the Aggies last season. Since he was not granted a release from his Utah State scholarship, he will be paying his own tuition for the next year while living with his parents in Murray. Jeff Collette said as of Thursday evening, he was not certain if his son was set to receive a scholarship when he becomes eligible in December, but "we hope so."
Barefield played only five games and 16 minutes for SMU after signing with the Mustangs out of Corona Centennial High (Calif.). He struggled with bronchitis while with SMU, and he may attempt to obtain a medical hardship waiver to play right away next season. If unsuccessful, he would have to wait until December to play.
Jakob Poeltl still on Wooden watch list
Sophomore center Jakob Poeltl was one of 25 candidates to make the midseason watch list for the Wooden Award, presented annually to the best player in college basketball.
The Austrian 7-footer entered Thursday's contest leading Utah in scoring (17 ppg), shooting (66.5 percent), rebounds (9.4 rpg), and blocks (32). Poeltl was one of three Pac-12 selections to the list, which also had Arizona's Ryan Anderson and Oregon State's Gary Payton II.
Poeltl also appeared on preseason lists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award this season.
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