By Bill Oram

| The Salt Lake Tribune

Returned from what might have been their best road trip of the season, the Utah Utes were in fine spirits Tuesday. They spoke of capturing the energy they displayed in narrow losses at Arizona State and Arizona and releasing it Saturday against Colorado.

They didn’t, however, talk about close losses making up for the absence of wins.

At a glance

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Colorado at Utah

Saturday, 3 p.m.

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"We had Arizona fans saying, ‘Hey, you guys played really hard. We didn’t really expect that out of you guys. You guys played great,’ " center Jason Washburn said. "But I think, from a competitive and I know from a personal standpoint, that’s a pill you just can’t swallow anymore."

The Utes (5-20, 2-11) lost 57-52 at Arizona State on Thursday and 70-61 two nights later at Arizona after leading for most of the game. The Utes also reached 20 losses in a season for the first time in program history.

Their road woes are well-documented. Sunday will mark the one-year anniversary of the last time they won away from the Huntsman Center.

Chris Hines said at Arizona the Utes, who at one point in the first half led by 13 points, fed off the atmosphere at McKale Arena, where 14,084 fans taunted Utah before falling to dead silence as their team fell behind.

"I think effort-wise, it was a pretty good weekend all around," Washburn said.

Washburn’s inconsistent offense

Washburn, the junior from Battle Creek, Mich., led the Utes with 15 points at Arizona, but two nights earlier at Arizona State scored just six.

Against Oregon State on Feb. 4 he notched 15, which came after scoring five against Oregon.

Going back from there, in order: 10, then six, then 10.

See the pattern?

"Offensively, I’m on a really inconsistent roller coaster right now," Washburn said.

Regardless of Washburn’s productivity, the Utes have lost their last six games. But Washburn said he needs to become more consistent if the Utes hope to win again this season. It’s a puzzle he wants to figure out.

"I don’t know if it’s a mindset, I don’t know if it’s psychological," Washburn said. ‘You know what I mean? Because I’ve seen it too — single, double, single, double."