No, he has a job to do.

A tough one, too.

With his family in town to watch his Huntsman Center finale, Johns faces the unenviable task of trying to contain San Diego State's Brandon Heath - the all-time leading scorer in Mountain West Conference history and reigning league player of the year who has been on a particular tear lately.

Even though his performance could go a long way in determining whether the 10-17 Utes can upset the surging 20-8 Aztecs and hold out the unlikely hope of receiving a fifth or sixth seed to the league tournament next month, Johns said he feels no added pressure.

"Nah," he said. "I always get up just to play against the best player on the other team -especially a guy who they say is NBA-bound and has all types of highly-rated remarks about him."

That's Heath, for sure.

The 6-foot-4 senior is an All-American candidate who's averaging 19.5 points per game - only Wyoming's Brandon Ewing scores more in the Mountain West, at 20.3 points per game - and coming off back-to-back 30-point games in victories over New Mexico and Brigham Young.

What's more, the Aztecs have won seven of their last eight games, and are making a push for the NCAA Tournament on the strength of an intensified defense.

"We might be on the bubble," coach Steve Fisher said, "and if we can continue to win a little bit, we might stay on the bubble."

The Utes are on the bubble, too - of having their coach fired.

At risk of finishing with their worst record since 1973, the Utes need to keep playing respectably to bolster coach Ray Giacoletti's case for remaining on the job. Against the Aztecs, that means slowing Heath and 6-foot-10 center Mohamed Abukar, whom Giacoletti said "shoots the ball from 18 feet like it's a layup."

"Transition - easy baskets - that's the first thing" the Utes need to stop, Giacoletti said. "If Heath and Abukar hit shots when they're contested, you have to live with those. It's the layups in transition" that really hurt.

Center Luke Nevill is expected to return to the starting lineup, despite a lingering hip injury, and guard Lawrence Borha will remain there after two strong performances.

But the night will belong to Johns, the only senior on the team, who has generally played well since entering the starting lineup for good near the beginning of the conference season. He is the best free-throw shooter on the team at 85.4 percent, and averages 6.7 points per game - 9.4 points in league play.

"I wish we had him another year," Giacoletti said. "He really understands what we're trying to do and he has played with a lot of confidence - he played like a senior. I'm really proud of him."

Johns said he has enjoyed his experience with the Utes, even though they're just 24-32 since he joined them as a transfer from Monroe College in the Bronx, N.Y. He's on pace to earn his degree in communications this summer - his fondest memory is of beating rival Brigham Young in the league tournament last season - and plans to be ready for his farewell.

"I know my energy is going to up," he said. "I don't know what it's going to be like, but it's going to be fun."

Even if he does have one of the toughest jobs in the building.

mcl@sltrib.com