When Utah lost its first three Big 12 games in blowout fashion, the Runnin’ Utes responded by winning their next three games, showing assertiveness and physicality during that winning streak.
Now, Utah finds itself coming off a forgettable week where two Big 12 powers, Houston and Baylor, easily defeated the Utes.
Can Utah respond again with a determined effort this week in a pair of games that are viewed as toss-ups?
To do that, the Utes will need to show some consistency, an elusive characteristic for a team that’s gone through its share of roller-coaster emotions this season.
First up is a matchup with Cincinnati on Tuesday (8 p.m. MST, CBS Sports Network) at the Huntsman Center. Then the Utes will hit the road to face Oklahoma State in a Saturday afternoon game (1 p.m. MST, ESPN+).
Both the Bearcats and Cowboys sit below the Utes (11-8, 3-5 Big 12) in the conference standings — Cincinnati and Oklahoma State are each 2-6 in league play.
The Bearcats are coming off an embarrassing 28-point loss at BYU, while the Cowboys fell on the road by 10 at Texas Tech.
The schedule ahead appears to give Utah a chance to start another winning streak — KenPom gives the Utes a 53% win probability against Cincinnati and 48% at Oklahoma State. ESPN’s analytics, meanwhile, have a 49.2% win probability for Utah against Cincinnati and 58.7% at Oklahoma State.
Forward Ezra Ausar, who had a team-high 19 points last Saturday in the loss to Baylor, opined that the Utes need to stay hungry as they fight through the dregs of becoming more competitive in the ultra-tough Big 12.
“Just staying hungry, just trying to have a hungry, competitive spirit. I just think that’s been the biggest goal. With this game, a lot of things just come being mentally prepared,” Ausar said. “And you know, you’ve got players that get frustrated, and the confidence drops.
“But I just think the main key is always remain confident, (no matter) what situation you’re going through.”
Ausar has been Utah’s most consistent performer over the past five games, and that includes three contests with 19 or more points.
The power forward is improving his aggressive nature — and willingness to attack the basket — while showing he is more than capable battling in the front court in Big 12 play.
Can Ausar come up big again and develop into the go-to guy that the Utes are searching for right now?
“The sky’s the limit. I’m not at my best, and I feel like I always can do better, and I always say that,” Ausar said. “So it’s just consistency, just trying to build consistency. And that’s also a challenge, being consistent at basketball, because teams got scouts, and when you, when you look at the first half, you try to adjust in the second half. It’s a lot of things about it, but I mean for me, just being mentally prepared.”
If Utah wins both games this week, it will be sitting at 5-5 at the midpoint of the Big 12 schedule, an accomplishment considering the Utes were picked to finish last in the league.
Miro Little had a solid game against his former team. Can he build off it?
Sophomore guard Miro Little is coming off one of his most complete games of the season, when he scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out seven assists against Baylor, the school he played for as a freshman last season.
While he shot 2 of 8 from the field, Little made a pair of well-timed 3-pointers and was a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line.
Little also had season-highs in offense rebounds (three) and steals (three).
Little started the first 12 games of the year but has been coming off the bench over the past seven games. During Utah’s three-game winning streak, he saw his minutes dip to the lowest they had been all season, including just three minutes in the Utes’ win over BYU.
The reduced playing time for Little has been the result of a combination of things, Utah coach Craig Smith explained — it’s partly been because the sophomore “hasn’t been playing his best basketball,” while others like Mike Sharavjamts and Hunter Erickson had solid performances during the winning streak.
Sharavjamts scored 10 points — and hit a pair of timely 3s — in Utah’s road victory at TCU, while Erickson was assertive running the point and scored six points in overtime against BYU.
“Obviously there’s probably a little extra incentive, being he played at Baylor. I just felt like he clearly had a real edge out on that floor,” Smith said of Little’s performance last Saturday. “When I say edge, I’m just saying he was playing with a chip on his shoulder. He was playing with a motor, and was super aggressive on both sides of the ball, but within the team concept of it. He had a great edge and energy and I thought he brought something to the table out there, a bit of a spirit.”
While Utah is one of the nation’s best teams in assists per game, the Utes are still searching for consistency in finding a lead facilitator at the point as the midpoint of Big 12 play approaches.
Can Little take steps forward on that front?
“Just personally, got to stay consistent going in and out of games, just always ready to play, whatever the team needs me to do,” Little said. “… I learned how to play basketball, just going in and out and never knowing what you gonna do, but always giving 110% every time I step on the floor.”
Previewing Utah-Cincinnati
The Bearcats, who are viewed as a team on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble right now, have struggled over the past few weeks.
Like Utah, Cincinnati got off to a slow start in Big 12 play, losing its first four conference games. Then, after a two-game winning streak, the Bearcats lost both of their matchups last week.
The 80-52 loss at BYU three days ago was the Bearcats’ biggest margin of defeat this season, as the Cougars shot 62.5% from 3-point range, including 11 of 15 in the second half.
Cincinnati went 10-1 during the nonconference portion of its schedule and was ranked for several weeks. The Bearcats enter Tuesday’s game at No. 48 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, making this a Quad 2 game for Utah.
Cincinnati is led by guards Simas Lukosius (12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game) and Dan Skillings Jr. (11.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals), while forward Dillon Mitchell (10.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals) anchors the front court.
