This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The first matchup was a mismatch. At least when it came to rebounding.
Brandon Ashley secured rebounds. Aaron Gordon was all over the place. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was too athletic for the Utes. And that's how Arizona eventually pulled away for the win.
Wednesday night's rematch will have more of the same...if Utah doesn't play tougher. The Utes simply have to box out, have to get to the 50-50 balls, have to watch for wandering Arizona hands looking to strip the ball away.
"We know that we're going to have to be tough," Jordan Loveridge said. "Arizona is one of the most athletic teams in the country. We know what they're capable of."
In the first meeting, the Utes did a good job in making the Wildcats miss shots. But they couldn't finish possessions with rebounds. Eventually, that spelled doom for Utah. In order to beat the No. 4 team in the country, that has to trend towards the middle.
Will it happen?
Tony Jones