This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dubious distinctions were probably the least of the Utes' worries after their 82-52 loss Saturday at Fresno State, but it was out there: At 1-6, the Utes have officially opened this season worse than any other Utah basketball team has opened any other season.
Four Utah teams had started 1-5, but none lost that seventh game. Until Saturday.
"We're part of history," first-year coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "There's a lot of other teams involved with that history. We're concerned with where we are right now — which is not a very good place."
The message coming out of the Utes' locker room Saturday was that if they wasted time worrying about how they measured up to past Utah teams, it would distract from their focus of matching up to future opponents.
"Past teams are past teams," junior center Jason Washburn said. "This school has a rich history. There's been a lot of great players and great teams that have come through here. We're worried about us right now."
The Utes have lost their past four games by an average of 23.5 points and are still looking for their first win against an NCAA school. Their one win came narrowly, 58-55, over NAIA San Diego Christian on Nov. 14.
The Utes host 4-3 Cal State-Fullerton on Saturday, then four days later face Brigham Young, which beat Oregon of the Pac-12 Saturday.
"We've got a big one Wednesday and then we've got our rival coming in right after that," Washburn said. "We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves."
It's history, now.
"Nobody likes being a part of that statistic or that fact," Krystkowiak said. "But that's the way it is. We'll see how we'll do with it."
Twitter: @oramb