IT’S GAME DAY!!!!!

[bopahull]

This is a battle that both teams need to win in able to keep post season tournament hopes alive. Last weeks trip to LA gives some hope that our Utes do have a pulse. Hopefully it gave the guys enough of a confidence boost to start playing as well as they were earlier. GO UTES!!!!!! PAC12 network at 7.

[Utesbyfive]

The bball team is broken.

[Ute Dub]

Why do we allow 90 points a game with a senior laden team and two 7 footers?

[AZUTE]

Utah can’t afford to fire Smith after just 3 seasons.

He’s more than likely gonna get 2 more unless the team completely falls apart next season and they only win 10 games or something.

This was a senior experienced team and they have completely underperformed. Not sure what’s gonna happen next season when this team has 6-8 new players on it.

[The Miami Ute]

Looking into my crystal ball, Smith might not make it to the end of next season. Here’s why: I just checked the tournament bracket and the Big 12 has nine very likely tournament teams with another one (Cincinnati) with a decent shot to get into the Dance. That’s 10 good to excellent basketball teams in one conference, which is, as you probably know, the best basketball conference in the country.

Now add to that teams like Arizona and Colorado, and now you have 12 good to excellent basketball teams in one conference. You talk about competition…Utah is going to find it hard to stay in games, much less win them, once its conference schedule starts. So, I’d venture that if Utah starts its Big XII basketball adventure with, say an eight or nine game losing streak, and we’re back to Giacoletti or Boylen at their worst, I can’t imagine how Harlan can retain Smith for much longer. By the way, Giacoletti was fired after only doing three seasons of a seven year contract and Boylen was fired after four years on the job and just two seasons after signing an extension of his contract.

But here’s a thought, let’s say that the wheels come off this season and the team ends the year on a six game losing streak, which would put them at 16-16 for the year and no postseason of any kind. You talk about a buzzkill heading into 2024-2025…not sure how you can build any excitement in an already apathetic fanbase after such a debacle.

[CoyoteUte]

At one point I thought we were talented enough make the tourney and maybe even get to the 2nd round. I’ve completely changed my mind on that. Does Rollie make that big of a difference? I know Wahlin is an rm, but I’m confident that many of us on this board could beat him off the drible. Cobra Kai is basically a slight upgrade to Brenchley if I’m being generous. Point is we need more talent, and the dudes we brought in outside of Deivon and Lovering don’t seem to have a high ceiling.

Good news is we’ll have another home game or two with the NIT 🍻

[The Miami Ute]

I’m not certain that this team makes the NIT. Last year, the team finished 17-15 (10-10) and stayed home.

[fosternano]

I don’t think the basketball team got the memo that it was game day….

[NashvilleTNUteFan]

This team is just absolutely brutal to watch on the road. I actually was looking forward to watching that game last night with it being a must-win game for both teams tourney hopes, man what a dud. I have my doubts about Craig. I don’t even know what to think about this team at this point. But I do know that whatever momentum was generated within the fan base this year, we’ll see on Thursday how quickly that vanished. And how can you really blame the fans, it’s not a good product right now.

[The Miami Ute]

Man, I’m getting the feeling that next season is going to be a brutal exercise in basketball futility. When I look at what the Big XII has to offer in MBB, you just have to wonder where the wins are going to come from. This especially when you see how many of their core players the Utes are losing, or have the potential to lose, after this year. If the Utes can’t make the tournament this season, how are they even going to come close next year playing a Murderers’ Row of traditional basketball powers? My dad always used to tell me that if you find out that you’re on the wrong road, you must turn back, no matter the inconvenience. Unfortunately, I have enough of a sample size to believe Craig Smith is the wrong road.

[Author]

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