This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
It's not fair to distill a game down to one play.
For the Runnin' Utes this week, it's not wise either.
As Utah (17-5, 6-3 Pac-12) prepares for Oregon State (12-8, 3-6) on Thursday night, the one lasting memory most retain from their first meeting — a 59-53 Utes win at the Huntsman Center — is Beavers' forward Jarmal Reid tripping referee Tommy Nunez and getting himself fouled out. That Reid may return from his subsequent four-game suspension, though OSU hasn't indicated he will, only adds to the rhetoric.
But the game the Runnin' Utes remember is different. They needed a 14-point comeback, and really had to sweat out what was then viewed as a must-win game. Utah had as many assists (11) as turnovers, and couldn't break the zone with off-target 3-point shooting (5 for 21).
"We struggled against their zone," coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "I'm watching the game again, a second time. We weren't very good offensively."
In the games since, of course, Utah has shot up in the standings to a four-way tie for second place in the Pac-12, and they've done it — to a great extent — with improved offense. The Utes are averaging 82 points per game in the past four wins (after scoring over 60 points once in the first five games) and shooting a robust 50.4 percent during that stretch.
The Utes believe they're a different team than they were at the beginning of Pac-12 play. Are they?
They'll find out quickly at Gill Coliseum, where Oregon State has lost 5 games in the past two seasons. In a trip to Corvallis last year, the Utes scored 47 points — and won.
OSU's shifting zone is tricky for many teams, especially in a smaller arena that can get loud.
"They have a second kind of zone that gave us trouble," Krystkowiak said. "We're going to have to be much better than we were."
So will Oregon State; the Beavers let Utah go on a late run and missed their last five shots of the loss.
Things aren't much more promising, as Oregon State has gone 1-3 since the Utah game and could be without forward Daniel Gomis with leg pain, according to The Oregonian. If Reid doesn't return, the Beavers will be without two big front court guys.
But the Beavers do have the promise of youth to lift their spirits. Aside from senior guard Gary Payton II, who is among the Pac-12's scoring, rebounding and assist leaders, freshmen Tres Tinkle (12.4 ppg) and Stephen Thompson Jr. (9.8 ppg) are the program's leading scorers. Both had some success against the Utes last time, much to Krystkowiak's chagrin.
For his part, Krystkowiak tried to recruit Tinkle a few years ago before his father, Wayne Tinkle, became coach at Oregon State. It's just another connection the two coaches, who played and coached together, share.
"We wanted [Tinkle] bad," Krystkowiak said. "I thought he was a Pac-12 player and a top-league player, and maybe there would've been a fighting chance if his dad stayed at Montana. He's doing real well; he's a good player and has a great skill set. … He's having one of the better freshmen years in our conference."
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Utah at Oregon State
P Gill Coliseum, Corvalis, Ore.
Tip-off • 9 p.m. MST
TV • ESPN2 Radio • ESPN 700 AM
Records • Utah (17-5, 6-3); OSU (12-8, 3-6)
Series history • Utah leads 16-10
Last meeting • Jan. 17, 2016; Utah 59, OSU 53
About the Beavers • They rank last in the Pac-12 in points per game (68.3) in league play. … OSU takes care of the ball; it has a plus-1.9 turnover margin for fourth-best in the Pac-12. … The Beavers lost four straight games in the series with Utah, including the last two under Wayne Tinkle.
About the Utes • Utah can set its best-ever winning streak in Pac-12 conference play with a win on Thursday. … The Utes are 2-9 in Gill Coliseum, despite leading the series overall. … The Utes lead the league in points allowed per conference game, with a 67.7 ppg average.