This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Of all the teams in the Pac-12, the Utes may have drawn the most favorable matchups to open conference play.
Colorado and Washington State to start things off, the two teams picked in the preseason to tie for 10th in the floundering conference? Talk about easing into things.
Unless you're the last-place Utes.
"There's no point in our schedule that is favorable," coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "It's kind of fighting for everything that we're going to try to get."
At 3-10 and having already lost to Colorado by the fourth-worst margin in program history (73-33), Utah (3-10) is entering a daunting stretch. Washington State (9-5) plays at the Huntsman Center on Thursday, followed by high-flying Washington on Saturday. Next week: games in the Bay Area to take on conference favorites Stanford and Cal.
The Cougars have been better than expected this season behind 14.9 points per game from forward Brock Motum. Motum scored 26 points, including three 3-pointers, in Washington State's 81-76 win over Oregon State in Spokane.
Motum is 6-foot-10 and polished offensively, the sort of player the Utes haven't seen this season with the exception of Brigham Young's Noah Hartsock.
The Utes may need to hold open tryouts sooner if they want to find someone to match up with the Australian.
"It's going to kind of have to be a team element," Krystkowiak said. "We've had a few different plans along the way. I thought DJ [Dijon Farr] did a pretty good job on Hartsock. … He can get locked into guarding somebody."
But Farr is 6-foot-6 and, at his best, a wing player and 6-foot-10 center Jason Washburn is not known for his defensive grit.
If the Utes can't slow Motum, there's no reason they couldn't be on course for another record-book loss.
Utah point guard Josh "Jiggy" Watkins said the Utes are in no position to look at the Cougars as another bottom-of-the-Pac team.
"We've got to take this game as if this is a Top 25 team," Watkins said. "That's how we have to approach this game, and that's how we have to play."
To their kind credit, Washington State is taking the same approach with Utah before jetting off to Colorado to play the Buffaloes on Saturday.
"We understand that Utah is good enough to beat us," coach Ken Bone said, "there's no doubt about it."
Twitter: @oramb —
Washington Stateat Utah
P At Huntsman Center
Tipoff • 7 p.m.
Radio • 700 AM
Records • Utah 3-10, Washington State 9-5
Series record • Utah 13-2
Last meeting • Utah 69-55 (Dec. 2, 2006)
About the Utes • Guards Chris Hines, Cedric Martin and Alex Mortenson have all missed time with injuries in recent weeks but are expected to be available against the Cougars. ... The Utes will unveil alternate black uniforms against the Cougars as part of a "blackout." Fans are encouraged to wear black as well. ... Starting center Jason Washburn is averaging career highs in points (11.2) and rebounds (7.1). He ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rebounding. ... Josh Watkins leads the Utes with 15.1 points per game.
About the Cougars • Forward Brock Motum leads Washington State with 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He is coming off a 26-point game against Oregon State on Saturday. ... Four players average nine or more points for the Cougars. ... Washington State is coached by former Portland State coach Ken Bone, whose team played against Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak and Montana twice in 2005-06.