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Utah freshman guard Devon Daniels sat out his second consecutive game Thursday night as part of a suspension announced by the school last week.
Daniels had become an immediate fixture in the Utes starting lineup (27 games, 26 starts). Utah announced prior to last Thursday night's game at Colorado that Daniels had been suspended indefinitely "due to conduct detrimental to the team." The Utes defeated Colorado, 86-81, with Gabe Bealer in the starting lineup for just the second time this season.
Daniels, a 6-foot-5 Michigan native, has averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 57.5 percent from the field (40 percent on 3-pointers) this season. Coach Larry Krystkowiak has not shed any light on the reason for the suspension or when Daniels might return.
Daniels, who didn't travel with the team to Colorado, was on the court with his teammates during pregame warmups on Thursday night, but he was not in uniform. He was also with the team on the bench during the game.
Bealer started again against California.
Cuonzo on Kuzma
Count California coach Cuonzo Martin among those who Utah junior forward Kyle Kuzma has impressed. Martin spoke glowingly of Kuzma and stressed his team's need to be vigilant in its efforts to slow down Kuzma during his press conference on Tuesday at Cal.
"You expect him to score points," Martin said of Kuzma. "He does a great job. It's one of those deals where if he's not making shots from outside [and] if he's not scoring with low-post moves, you still have to keep him off the glass. He's a guy who is going to find ways to score the basketball. You're not just stopping him one way.
"He can play basketball. He's a good player. He's an aggressive player. When he plays — he wants to play in the NBA — so there's a certain level of energy, passion and toughness that he plays with."
Kuzma scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 77-75 overtime loss to California on Feb. 2. He entered the night ninth in the Pac-12 in scoring (16.2 pig) and third in rebounding (10.0).
Jayce picks up pace
Redshirt freshman forward/center Jayce Johnson came into the game having shot 83 percent during his past five games and has averaged 6.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in that stretch. For the season, Johnson, a 7-foot California native, has shot 57 percent while averaging more than two rebounds and two points per game fewer than his recent run.
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