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If you're trying to find a college basketball guard who doesn't want to put up one or two more baskets at the end of a game, you'll likely be searching a long time.
Unless, that is, you start that search in Utah. For Larry Krystkowiak's money, Delon Wright is one of the most unselfish leading scorers he's ever met.
"I can tell you without question that he doesn't care if he's the leading scorer in one particular game," Krystkowiak said. "There's been a couple times where he's asked out of the game with five minutes to go. There's not one bit of selfishness."
That attitude has trickled down for the Runnin' Utes (12-2, 2-0), ranked No. 9 in this week's AP poll and riding a five-game winning streak. Krystkowiak is always looking for flaws in his team's game — he said last week when Utah entered the top 10 that "there's more than nine teams that can kick our butts" — but after huge wins over USC and UCLA to start Pac-12 play, he looked as pleased as ever.
That's what happens when your team shoots 56 percent from the floor and hold opponents to under 36 percent shooting in your last three games. While the outside praise is increasing, with ESPN and Sports Illustrated among those sliding Utah up the national power rankings, internally players have kept the coaches smiling.
Take scoring in the last three: No Utah player has scored more than 14 points in any game, but at least 11 Utes have scored in each. To Krystkowiak, it's a sign that his team is getting closer to his vision of an offensively balanced attack.
If they made any mistakes, he quipped, it might have been sharing the ball too much.
"What drives coaches crazy is taking bad shots, but our guys don't take bad shots," he said. "I would like to get to the point where we're being scouted and teams are saying, 'Man, I don't know who we need to stop."
Utah may be facing that issue this week, as they take on their travel partner, Colorado, at home on Wednesday. The Utes and the Buffs are two of the three Pac-12 teams to go 2-0 in the opening weekend with Stanford. While Utah is 10-0 at home this season, Colorado (9-5, 2-0) won't struggle with the Huntsman Center altitude like some opponents have this season.
The Utes could get a huge break if 6-foot-10 all-conference forward Josh Scott misses his third straight game with back spasms. But even if that's the case, the Buffaloes have two other top-16 conference scorers, Askia Booker and Xavier Johnson who can cause problems. Krystkowiak said the Utes are preparing as if each of Colorado's "big three" will be ready to play.
Add that to the defensive toughness and rebounding ability that have characterized the program under Tad Boyle, and Wednesday's game could be a bit of a dog fight for a pair of teams playing their third games in six days.
"We have to rebound really well and play really physical," Wright said. "That's what they like to do."
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Streakin' Utes
In Utah's five-game winning streak, the team has put on some dominating performances and is posting some impressive numbers.
Scoring margin • Plus-23.8 ppg
Field-goal shooting • 51.9 percent
3-point shooting • 41.1 percent
Field-goal shooting defense • 35.9 percent
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Colorado at Utah
P Wedensday, 7 p.m.
TV • ESPN2 —
Colorado at Utah
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN2