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Utes’ basketball team gets a major scheduling upgrade with Minnesota’s visit

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) is foiled by University of Texas at Tyler Patriots Xavier Gogle (11), in basketball action between the Utes and the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, Oct. 30, 2019.

Friday's game at the Huntsman Center could be framed as the basketball version of a potential Rose Bowl matchup, a gauge of the growth of Utah's three sophomore starters or a measurement of the Pac-12 vs. the Big Ten.

This much is certain: Minnesota won't resemble Mississippi Valley State.

After frolicking against the Delta Devils in the biggest rout (143-49) in Division I basketball history last Friday, the Utes will return to reality in this intermittent visit by a school from another power conference.

“Not that we didn’t know it, but Big Ten basketball is a little more physical,” Ute coach Larry Krystkowiak said when asked what he learned from last November’s 78-69 loss at Minnesota. The Utes were “a tad overwhelmed with some of the physicality of the game.”

That’s why, amid the usual year-to-year personnel changes, the rematch will be a good test for Utah sophomores Timmy Allen, Riley Battin and Both Gach. Even with seven scholarship freshmen on the roster, the Utes’ biggest variable this season is how much those players will improve. They combined for 13 points in Minneapolis, but they’re collectively averaging 53.5 points through two games this season.

That’s giving validity to the numbers Utah amassed against MVSU, which probably should come with multiple asterisks about kenpom.com’s No. 353-ranked (worst) team in Division I. The quality of opponent may have kept Ute guards Gach and Rylan Jones from winning Pac-12 weekly awards for the top player and top freshman, even though they recorded Utah’s first statistical triple doubles in points, rebounds and assists since Alex Jensen in 1999.

The Gophers, in contrast, will play aggressive defense. “It’s not going to be quite as easy as it was [last] Friday night,” Krystkowiak said. “I’m just hoping we can win a game by one point at this juncture, for sure.”

To their credit, the Utes did show some poise and toughness before MVSU’s appearance in a 79-74 win at Nevada. The Wolf Pack threatened to surge ahead at various points, but the Utes kept responding. That likely will have to happen against Minnesota (1-2), a team that was good enough to lead Oklahoma in a neutral-site game and Butler on the road, before fading in second halves.

Krystkowiak keeps talking about the “good vibe” of his team, and he said the players’ bonding was reflected at Nevada in “miniature defining moments, when you rely and have a little bit of faith in each other and stay consistent in whatever we’re doing.”

Minnesota's outside shooting hurt Utah last year, when Gabe Kalscheur made five 3-pointers in scoring 19 points. Kalscheur has started slowly this season, while 6-foot-10 center Daniel Oturu is asserting himself. Oturu made 9 of 13 shots in posting 24 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's 64-56 loss at Butler; his teammates went 8 of 38 from the field.

Oturu will pose a challenge for Utah’s three freshmen centers: 7-0 Branden Carlson, 6-10 Lahat Thioune and 7-4 Matt Van Komen.

MINNESOTA AT UTAH

At the Huntsman Center.

Tipoff: Friday, 7 p.m.

TV: Pac-12 Networks.

Radio: ESPN 700.

Records: Minnesota 1-2; Utah 2-0.

Series history: Tied, 2-2.

Last meeting: Minnesota 78, Utah 69 (2018).

About the Golden Gophers: Minnesota’s schedule is loaded with teams from power conferences. The Gophers have met Oklahoma and Butler and have DePaul, Clemson and Oklahoma State to come. … Minnesota was picked 11th among the Big Ten’s 14 teams in the preseason media poll. … In his seventh season as the Gophers’ coach, Richard Pitino has a 113-94 record. … Marcus Carr, who averaged 17 points in Minnesota’s first two games, went 1 of 9 from the field in Tuesday’s loss at Butler.

About the Utes: Ninth-year coach Larry Krystkowiak can earn his 200th win at Utah; he’s 199-131. ... Utah’s box score from last November’s game at Minnesota is strange, looking back. Former center Novak Topalovic never came close to matching the 13 points he scored in Minneapolis and Vante Hendrix, who left the team three weeks later, scored 14. … Utah’s deferred second game of a home-and-home series vs. Missouri will occur in 2020 in Columbia, Mo., Krystkowiak confirmed this week. … The Utes will play three games next week in the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina.