So Utes Basketball Huh?….

Jan 8, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Andrew Andrews (12) defends Utah Utes guard Delon Wright (55) during the last possession of the game at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilionon. Washington defeated Utah 59-57. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Well, coffee all over my keyboard meant that I couldn’t blog for a few days.  And I know everyone was thinking after the Washington trip, what do they think about this over at Hoyo’s Revenge.

Well I’m going to tell you, I’m not really sure.

I had my worries that our preseason schedule would leave us with no real idea what this team was, or worse, thinking that this team is far more than it is.  And as of this moment I think we have to say those concerns were valid.

Here is what we know. The Utes played a lot of bad teams.  And the good teams we’ve played aren’t looking great.  Boise lost at home to Wyoming last night and hasn’t beaten a good team.  Oregon is now 1-3 in Pac-12 play and was swept by the Bay-Area schools at home.  BYU can’t defend their own shadows, especially on the road and the Utes just lost to Wazzu, where Wazzu only scored 49 points and played without their best player.

I think we have to consider a few more points right now.  All of our stats have to go out the window.  They were created against the worst OOC schedule in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy.  They look meaningless now.

Fans have to go on what they’re seeing with their eyes.

And what we’re seeing is that this team cannot shoot.  The Utes have shooters who can get hot, and at some point they will and Utah will beat someone, but that time isn’t now.  Brandon Taylor right now looks like he is too small and too streaky to fulfill that need.  We can’t rely on Loveridge’s outside shot and Delon doesn’t have one.  If someone else is there to do it, please step forward now or forever hold your peace.

What has me more worried is that our staff believed what was happening in the OOC, and now that Delon and Loveridge can’t simply out talent everyone and Taylor isn’t wide open to drop threes, they seem a little befuddled as to what to do.

Not that I have a solution.

And none of that addresses the planning/execution in late game situations.  Which has me so emotionally distraught I can’t discuss without a great deal of swearing.

This team defends, but this is basketball and at some point you’ve got to put the ball in the hoop.

And until we can do that, wins will be hard to come by.