Predictions? Mine is that Branden has a HUGE game and leads Utah to an absolutely critical win when they need it most. This game is for Utah’s season. A win, and they are still alive for the NCAA Tournament. A loss and they’re probably out. They are basically the final team out of the tournament right now, and a giant win against likely tourney team Colorado would move them onto the good side of the bubble. It’s defense. If they play defense like they did tonight and like they did at Oregon, they’ve got a great shot. I have Utah winning 68-64 and clinching the final spot in the Pac-12 Semifinals, in a likely matchup against Wazzu. That ALSO would be a huge game because Utah would basically become a LOCK with a second win over the Coogs. There’s no way they get left out of the Tourney if they make the Pac-12 Championship Game.
We certainly owe Colorado a better game than we gave them at Boulder.
CU wants to advance to the Semi-finals, will want to save some in the tank for tomorrow.
We need to play like there’s no tomorrow. Sell out.
We have to win it all to go to the dance. Any other iterations are just pipe dreams.
That’s just like, one opinion, man
I applaud your optimism,
I’m thinking that at best, wins over Buffs and Cougs puts us on the bubble. The 2 losses (in particular to the Beavers) killed us. Need to win Saturday to get the automatic ticket to the big dance.
Yeah, getting to the finals and losing in a close one to Arizona might get Utah in, but I doubt it.
Last night’s announcers speculated that two more conf tourney wins would mean two more neutral floor Quad1 wins, which would put Utah safely inside of the bubble.
But I’m not sure I buy that. Especially since there are always a handful of surprise conf tourney winners grabbing up auto bids at the expense of at-larges. Utah needs to be one of those conf tourney winners.
Gotta make room for Indiana St. …
So many missed layups.
Stupid Big East game. The hotel we are staying at doesn’t have FS2
Again, this has to be the most up-and-down team ever. Unbelievable.
Road-team showing up again?
Looking much better. Making a run. Let’s hope they don’t fall apart.
Thanks. Unfortunately, Utah ran out of gas in that second half and simply couldn’t match a rested Colorado team. The Buffs are a seriously talented team who look like they can win the tournament and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Utah looks like a lock for the NIT though.
Branden looked quite discouraged when they showed him on the bench in the closing minute. Knew the last chance to make the dance was over.
Team wasn’t that bad last night, just didn’t have the energy left in their legs to make shots and were facing a team that is peaking at the right time.
May possibly get a game at home in the NIT in a few days, will have to wait for selection day to find out.
FWIW, the team is meeting what some of us had of expectations. Figured if they got to the NIT this season it was a success. It appears that will be the case. Getting into March Madness would’ve been exceeding expectations. Not jumping for joy here, but certainly not disappointed with the overall.
Hopefully we can make a run to New York. Ok, it would be nice if we can get a couple of wins.
Actually NIT moved their finals four to Las Vegas (think it was last year, perhaps 2022).
It is the seat of US culture, after all.