"I've never had this opportunity," he said. "So I'm going to make the most of it."
Not only will Bryant get to play in the first postseason game of his career when the Utes take on UTEP in the first round of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tonight at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, but he also expects friend and former teammate Justin Hawkins to make the trip from nearby New Mexico State to watch the game.
"We've had a lot of close games, and we have an opportunity to keep playing," Bryant said. "So we have to just prove all the doubters wrong. We have to keep fighting and make a run. At this time of year, it's about teams getting hot, and we've proved we can beat good teams."
Though they're former rivals from the Western Athletic Conference, the Utes and Miners have not met since the Utes won a first-round NCAA Tournament game three years ago. That was the last time the Utes played in a postseason tournament, which explains why they're eager to play again - even in a new event that few fans even knew existed.
"Our whole team's excited that we just get to continue to play," forward Shaun Green said, "because we were pretty disappointed about losing the way we did in the conference tournament. So just to get postseason experience for this team I think is a huge part of our growth."
The Utes are 17-14, and have lost six of their last eight games.
But eight of their top nine players are expected to return next season, so a strong tournament run could help add another layer to coach Jim Boylen's rebuilding effort.
"We've talked about getting better all year," he said. "We've never talked about how many wins we were going to get, or winning. We talked about getting better, taking steps to become a better team, and the wins will come. And we're going to keep working at that."
The 19-13 Miners are led by junior guard Stefon Jackson, an All-Conference USA standout who ranks seventh nationally by scoring 23.7 points per game. The Utes believe if they can slow him, as well as the UTEP transition game, and avoid turnovers - the Miners force 17 per game - they stand a good shot of advancing to meet the winner of an opening-round game between Tulsa and Miami of Ohio.
That game would take place March 24 at a site to be determined, but the Utes said they're focused on tonight.
"There's a little bit of disappointment that our season maybe didn't go as we had hoped," Boylen said. "And I think there's a little bit of . . . they're upset, and they want to prove something. So I think it's good. We're one of 113 teams that are still playing, and it's a step for us in the right direction. We're trying to rebuild this program, and postseason play is part of it."
mcl@sltrib.com
Utah vs. UTEP
Where: Don Haskins Center,
El Paso, Texas
Tipoff: Today, 7 p.m.
Radio: 700 AM
Records: Utah 17-13 (7-9 Mountain West), UTEP 19-13 (8-8 Conference USA)
Series: Utah leads, 34-31
Last meeting: Utah 60, UTEP 54 (March 17, 2005)
Line: UTEP by 1
About the Utes: Having lost six of their last seven games away from home, they need a serious turnaround if they're going to advance. . . . They could play as many as six games in the tournament. . . . Outgoing seniors G Johnnie Bryant, G Chris Grant and F Sayre Brennan could be playing their last game.
About the Miners: Playing at a fast pace, they allowed a league-worst 72.9 points per game, but forced a league-high 17.4 turnovers. . . . They're 13-2 at home this season, and 20-11 all-time against the Utes at home.
* The game will not be televised, but fans can watch online for $6.95. Visit www.cbi2008.com for more information.
