So you've been too busy with football to pay much attention just yet to the Utah Utes on the basketball court. That's understandable --?even to coach Jim Boylen, who said that's "a damn good reason to just be catching up to us."

What have you missed, then?

Maybe the start of something big.

The Utes are 9-5 going into their final nonconference game tonight against LSU at the Huntsman Center, having won four of their last five games with a style that has looked increasingly like the one Boylen envisions becoming their trademark. They're running more and better than they did last season, playing better defense and getting more consistent production out of senior center Luke Nevill -- a potential first-round pick in the NBA Draft.

"We haven't reached our peak yet," Nevill said. "We're trying to get better every day and we've had some ups and downs, but we're on a roll right now. We have good energy, great enthusiasm. … It's exciting to watch us play. We want to hang a banner in here."

That might yet prove beyond their reach, but the Utes have shown enough improvement to suggest that winning the Mountain West Conference is not out the question, and they have done it against one of the toughest schedules in the country. Even if the Utes don't quite win the league, they could wind up with the resume to command an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Fans "see a lot of resiliency in this team, a lot of not giving up," senior forward Shaun Green said, "and I think they're going to start seeing a team peaking at the right time, going into conference."

Boylen acknowledged he has a "hard time" imagining that his team's latest surge -- which included an upset of No. 16 Gonzaga, its first win over a ranked team in nearly four years -- is an indication that it has "turned the corner," particularly because he remains concerned about its turnovers, and lapses in crucial situations.

But he does happily point to the statistical improvements the Utes have made since last season at this time, as evidence that they are getting better. The Utes are grabbing about five more rebounds per game than they did last season, and holding opponents to a lower shooting percentage. The most telling statistic, however, is that the Utes have shot 107 more free throws than last season, suggesting they're getting to the basket and making things happen.

"It's defense, rebounding and running and driving the ball," Boylen said. "Those were our goals over the summer."

And though the Utes have experienced some definite rough spots -- surely, you heard about the season-opening loss to a Division II team, and the letdown at Idaho State that started a three-game slide a couple of weeks ago -- they remain hopeful that their experience against tough opponents such as Gonzaga, Cal and Oklahoma has made them a better team than their record indicates.

"We have such a tough schedule, maybe our 9-5 compared to some teams is like a 12-1," Nevill said. "We've lost some games we definitely should have won, but we've also won some games that we really toughed it out and got a good win."

mcl@sltrib.com