CHICAGO -- Two years ago, New York City prep phenom Lamar Odom was the national player of the year. He signed with UNLV after an intense recruiting battle, but didn't last long because of questionable test scores. After considering turning pro and playing in Europe or the CBA, he eventually landed at the University of Rhode Island and sat out a year.
Tonight, he'll be one of Utah's biggest headaches when the Utes (3-2) take on the Rams (3-3) at 5:30 p.m. MST in the Great Eight Tournament at the United Center. It will be the third game in the mini-tourney that started Tuesday night. No. 4 Duke and No. 9 Michigan State play in tonight's nightcap.The 6-foot-10 Odom will be center stage along with the Utes' Andre Miller, who is a preseason all-American guard. Odom is considered a sure-fire NBA prospect, who might even turn pro after his freshman season, while Miller is also expected to be a first-round draft choice after this year. Odom is known as a fine all-around player, averaging 14.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
"Odom presents a lot of problems for us,' said Utah coach Rick Majerus. "He's got a really nice game -- he's a tremendous passer, who can hit the three. He's Magic Johnson-esque. It's going to be a real challenge for us."
The Utes will start defensive whiz Alex Jensen on Odom, although Majerus is likely to run several players at Odom, as he often does against outstanding players. That means Hanno Mottola, fresman reserve Brad Crockett and even Miller could take turns on Odom.
Besides Odom, the Rams have some other talented inside players such as 6-7 Antonio Reynolds-Dean (11.7 points per game and 6-9 Luther Clay (9.8).
The Rams are thin in the backcourt -- so thin that Odom has played point guard at times and shooting guard Preston Murphy (8.5 ppg) has been forced to play the point. Freshman point guard Zach Marbury (younger brother of Stephon Marbury) was expected to play this year, but is ineligible while the NCAA Clearinghouse investigates a summer course he took in high school.
Sophomore Tory Jefferson (4.7 ppg) will start at the off-guard along with Murphy.
Rhode Island began the year ranked in the top 25 but has fallen from the rankings after losing to Providence, Cincinnati and Wisconsin. The Utes are ranked 21st in the AP poll but are trying to find their offense.
"We are playing tremendous defense right now,' said Majerus. "But we've got to find a way to score some points."
Miller and Mottola are both averaging 15.8 points per game, while Jensen is scoring 10.4 points per game. The Utes are hoping for another good shooting game from Jeremy Killion, who broke out of a shooting slump with 6-of-12 three-pointers against Michigan. Nate Althoff is expected to start at center, while freshmen Adam Sharp and Phil Cullen will be the main two reserves.
UTE NOTES: This marks the second straight year the Utes have played in the Great Eight. It's also the second straight year they are playing a team from Rhode Island. Last year the Utes defeated Providence 63-57 . . . Majerus was on ESPN Tuesday night at halftime of the Kentucky-Kansas game . . . Like the Maui Invitational, the Great Eight is using the experiemental 45-second clock . . . Utah and Rhode Island met once previously, in 1992 in the second round of the NIT . . . With a media crowd of more than 200, there are nearly as many press types here for the two-day event as for a Bulls' playoff game, according to a United Center official . . . The Utes head to southern California after tonight's game to play Long Beach State Saturday night.