Brandon Taylor
This years team does return quite a bit of experience, but only because they played so many freshman last year. Tucker, Loveridge, and Taylor all return as seasoned Sophomores this coming year. When you add Lenz, and Wright (a Senior, and Junior)
this team will need somebody to step into that role as the team leader.
The two candidates that we expect to be up to the challenge are Wright, and Loveridge. Wright guided his Junior College team in san Francisco to a 27-3 record, and earned first team All-California. He is also not a stranger to big time basketball as his older brother Dorell Wright plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Loveridge was nothing less than stellar in his first full stint with the Utes. He finished in the
Dallin Bachynski
top 10 in the Pac 12 in rebounding, and in the top 25 in scoring. Jordan was a big part of the limited success that the Utes had last season. Loveridge showed signs of brilliance last season when he shot close to 40% from 3 point land while eating up rebounds like no freshman at the University of Utah in recent memory.
Brandon Taylor also shot the ball well finishing second in the league in three point shooting percentage, and at times seemed like a good option for the Utes at Point Guard. However with the arrival of Delon Wright, the Utes will likely play Taylor and Wright together often this season.
Dakarai Tucker
Dakarai Tucker and Renan Lenz round out the starting five with Tucker returning after appearing in 25 games, and playing key roles in the Utes semifinal run in the Pac 12 tournament. Lenz will hold down the center spot until Marko Kovacevic becomes healthy after suffering a pre season injury.
Jeremy Olsen along with Dallin Bachynski are both going to add returning depth at the Center position. Kenneth Ogbe will be another exciting players to keep your eye on as well as Ahmad Fields, and Parker Van Dyke.
The Utes have a very favorable pre season schedule only leaving the state on Dec. 3rd to visit Boise State. Boise St. is the only team on Utah’s pre season schedule that made the NCAA tournament a year ago. The Utes should be favored in almost every game that they play in the preseason.
The Utes open Pac 12 play when they take on Oregon, and Oregon state on the road.
Larry Krystkowiak
There is no other way to paint the Utes pre season schedule other than an easy path.
If you are not going to attend the games in person this year then the only way that you are going to be able to view the Utes basketball team is Via the Pac-12 Network. 23 of the Utes Regular season games are on the Pac 12 network, and not many other games are televised on other stations. You will need to get to the Huntsman Center if you have Directv as the Pac 12 deal still is not completed, and doesn’t look to be done at any point during the basketball season.