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After the Runnin' Utes third conference loss on the road this season, there's no plan for players-only meetings. No Coaches-only meetings. No player-coach meetings.
No sitting in a circle to sing "Kumbaya," either.
"We've had enough meetings," Larry Krystkowiak reasoned at his Monday press conference. "This is that time of year where, to me, there shouldn't be a whole lot of thinking."
No. 13-ranked Utah (21-5) is 26 games through a 30-game marathon, as Krystkowiak spun it, and the latest slip-up, a 69-58 loss at Oregon on Sunday, is discouraging for the Utes as they try to finish strong.
But presented with a home slate this week that includes a chance to pull even for first place in the Pac-12 against Arizona, it's not time to rethink, rehash or recreate, Krystkowiak said. While the Utes had a host of issues manifest themselves against the Ducks, most of them can be solved by playing harder.
It's a grueling stretch of the season, one where players and the coaching staff can get a little cranky with each other. It's a little edgy in the team room right now — and that edge wasn't soothed by the ugly film or what Krystkowiak called "big-boy conversations" that came out of the Oregon game.
As he sees it, there's two options: grouse and linger on it, or get over it and keep playing. He doesn't want to hear "pity parties" or "heart-to-hearts," he said.
"I don't think it's time for a lot of talk," he said. "It's time for some action."
The defeat wasn't confined to one flaw, but rather "different stories woven together." Utah kept giving the ball away to the Ducks early, struggled to limit Oregon's second chances in the middle, and couldn't hit shots late. The Oregon zone defense flustered Utah's execution throughout the afternoon.
Within those larger struggles were more individualized ones: the team's post players disappeared offensively for much of the game, and guards struggled both hitting open shots from the perimeter and opening up shots inside for the bigs. The only true standout from the game was senior Delon Wright, who had 20 points, 5 assists and 3 steals but found little support around him.
Krystkowiak spent several uninterrupted minutes pointing out the different problems that stood out to him from the game. It's frustrating to see some of the issues, he said, and his players need to make some better decisions. But in late February with tournaments around the corner, the Utes aren't able to make drastic adjustments.
"People who are trying to evaluate at the finish of a marathon, you're probably going to fall flat on your face," he said. "Your training is done. As I say all the time, the hay is in the barn. How much better are we going to get right now?"
Utah will certainly be tested in the last homestand of the season, as Arizona State comes Thursday night followed by the No. 7-ranked Wildcats on Saturday. Arizona is tops in the conference, and while the top-15 match-up has the attention of most college basketball fans around the country, Krystkowiak said he would be surprised if his team were to overlook the Sun Devils (15-12, 7-7).
Arizona State has won four of its last five and appears to be finding its form at the end of the year. It helps that Utah is smarting from a defeat — they're eager to prove that they're the March contender some have thought them to be.
"Our guys have done a nice job, but there's nothing like the real thing when you get beat," Krystkowiak said.
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Arizona State at No. 13 Utah
O Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
TV • FS1