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San Diego, Calif. • Brekkott Chapman walked out of Viejas Arena on Tuesday afternoon with his head held high.

For Utah, at this early point in the season, they're not sweating a loss as much as how they lose. And making it close at the end? That's it's own statement, Chapman said.

"We're never gonna quit," he said. "We're going to keep going, keep pushing, this team has heart."

Utah's new players certainly have it.

The Utes had lost, 53-49, just 30 minutes before, but for the Roy freshman's second game, eight points and three rebounds on 3-for-5 shooting is, well, workable. Chapman got key rotation minutes and was one of the few Utah players who shot with a little bit of fearlessness in a tentative offensive game.

He wasn't the only one, either. In all, the five newcomers who saw playing time shot 47 percent from the floor and accounted for 24 of Utah's 49 points and 24 of the Utes' 38 rebounds.

Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak was relatively upbeat for a defeat, secure in the knowledge that his most experienced players can bounce back from an off game. If they do struggle, it looks like the freshmen are ready to bear more weight.

"We're gonna depend on all those guys: They're half of our rotation," Krystkowiak said. "It's really important for those guys to gain confidence. A game like this is good for us, having this under our belt."

Through about 38 minutes Tuesday, the biggest moments belonged to the youngest players.

Jakob Poeltl and Chris Reyes waxed the boards, helping contribute to a 38-34 rebounding advantage for the Utes. San Diego State is considered one of the best rebounding teams in the country, but worked from behind the whole game.

Isaiah Wright and Chapman each helped end dry spells on offense, not backing down from one of the loudest student sections in an arena where San Diego State has now won 16 straight.

Ultimately, that's the gain. Utah will have to play in plenty of challenging environments this season, from BYU to UNLV to Arizona. In their first taste, the newcomers had composure.

"I thought the young kids played great, with so much energy in the building," Krystkowiak said. "The challenge as a coaching staff is trying to find things that we can do to implement them in the game plan."

They look ready. Implement away.

Twitter: @kylegoon