This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
They've faced big guys who can score. They've faced big guys who can rebound. They've faced big guys who can defend.
Surely, the Runnin' Utes have faced someone like Washington State's Josh Hawkinson already this season. Right?
"No … I don't really think so," sophomore Kyle Kuzma said. "I think he's a different guy. He can stretch it out, rebound. He's got a good idea where to get the ball. He can crash the boards offensively. he can shoot it or post it. He's real versatile. He's definitely a different player than we've faced so far."
Hawkinson is the main man for Washington State and the 6-foot-10 junior is averaging 16.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, one of two Pac-12 players to be top five in both scoring and rebounding, along with Colorado's Josh Scott.
While Hawkinson's numbers bear some similarities to Utah's own Jakob Poeltl, he has at least one additional factor: midrange ability that extends to the 3-point line. He also puts in just over a block per game, and can get out in transition.
Stat site KenPom places Hawkinson as the No. 2 defensive rebounder by percentage in the country, scooping up 33.1 percent of all opportunities on the defensive glass. Kuzma said it will take a special team effort to keep the Cougars' big man off the boards.
"Great rebounders have a mindset that every shot is a miss, so I'm guessing he has that, too," Kuzma said. "It'll take the guards going in, the bigs boxing out. It's going to take all of us."
Utes still projected
to dance
The psuedo-science known as "bracketology" may still be a shot in the dark in January, but several national experts are still taking a shot with the Utes as of Tuesday afternoon.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Utah (13-5, 2-3) as a 9 seed, facing off against WCC's Saint Marys' in the first round in the South Regional. CBS's Jerry Palm is slightly more charitable, giving Utah a 7 seed against Seton Hall in the West Regional. SB Nation also had Utah as a 7 seed against Seton Hall in the West.
Utah's RPI has been steady at 34, and the Utes' resume is boosted by an 8-5 record against RPI top 100 teams. All five of Utah's losses have come against teams ranked in the RPI top 75, with a 71-58 loss to Cal (RPI 67) standing as the worst loss so far.
Utah's top win over Duke has taken a bit of a hit, as the Blue Devils have now lost three straight and fell to No. 20 in this week's AP poll.
Vern Gardner
a Pac-12 honoree
The Pac-12 Hall of Honor is inducting a Ute forward who played more than 60 years before Utah joined the conference.
Utah's inductee this year will be Vern Gardner, the tournament MVP of the 1947 NIT Championship men's basketball team. A two-time All American in 1947 and 1949, Gardner was a star player and, as a senior, led Utah in scoring. The Utes were 66-30 in his years there, most memorably defeating Kentucky, 49-45, in the NIT title game in 1947.
Gardner's image hangs from the rafters Utah's newly constructed practice facility. He was inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame in 1985.
Twitter: @kylegoon