At the end of the day they’re another team. We’re going to scout them like any other team and we’re going to play them like any other team. We’re going to play harder and we’re going to come out with our intensity being very high. – Utah guard Brandon Taylor
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah guard Brandon Taylor has definitely seen the Duke Blue Devils on television over the years and he knows all about Mike Krzyzewski being a historic coach and all that.
Playing them in the NCAA tournament, Taylor admits, is “crazy.”
However, Friday night’s game in Houston is all about business.
“At the end of the day they’re another team. We’re going to scout them like any other team and we’re going to play them like any other team,” Taylor said. “We’re going to play harder and we’re going to come out with our intensity being very high.”
The Blue Devils have their attention and respect.
“They have a solid all-around team. Duke is a solid team all the way around and we know that,” Taylor said. “But we’re a solid team all the way around, too.”
Teammate Delon Wright has similar thoughts.
“I think it’s a mind game,” he said, noting that the Utes can’t think about the Blue Devils being a historic program or anything — just regular players like them. “They just happen to go to a big-name school.”
SPECIAL K: Wright was asked who the real “Coach K” is — Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak or Duke’s legendary Krzyzewski.
“Definitely have to go with (Krzyzewski) but I like my Coach K better,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll prove that.”
COACHING CONNECTION: The Utes and Blue Devils have a common link in Bill Foster. He served as head coach of both programs — guiding Utah from 1971-74 before leaving for Duke (1975-80). Foster had a 43-39 record with the Utes and led them to the 1974 NIT championship game. He was 113-64 with the Blue Devils and coached them to the NCAA title game in 1978.
NO SATISFACTION: Krystkowiak had a pretty stern response when asked if he thought the Utes might be satisfied with reaching the Sweet 16. After all, it’s a pretty big accomplishment for a program that was just 6-25 overall in 2011-12.
“I can only hope that our guys aren’t satisfied or we’ll get embarrassed on Friday night,” Krystkowiak said.
EXTRA STUFF: Utah is just the seventh program in the nation to reach the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in every decade since the 1950s. Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina and Syracuse are the others . . .Wright is just the second player in Utah history — joining Josh Grant — to top 1,000 points, 375 rebounds, 350 assists, 150 steals and 70 blocks in his career . . . The Utes are seeking their first Elite Eight appearance since 1998.
Email: dirk@desnews.com
Twitter: @DirkFacer