SALT LAKE CITY — Turnovers — and we’re not talking apple or cherry here — have been troublesome for the Utah Utes this season. Their 13.8 miscues per game are topped only by last-place Oregon State (15.5) in the Pac-12.
After Saturday’s 85-61 win over Washington, Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak noted that product isn’t exactly sharp right now. The Utes had 15 turnovers against the Huskies.
“We’ve got some issues that we need to solve,” Krystkowiak said. “They’re solvable, though.”
Utah turned things around against Washington. Early turnovers put the Utes in an 18-10 hole. After a spirited timeout, they took much better care of the basketball and went on a 23-1 run to take control of the game.
“There’s different kinds of turnovers. I can tolerate an illegal screen, a three-second call, maybe if someone gets trapped. That’s the type I can handle.” Krystkowiak said. “It’s the ones where you honestly look like you are point shaving and just throwing balls to the opposition to let them take off and go the other way. It’s mindless stuff. Those ones I have a problem with and between himself and our team, we’ve got to try to get that element fixed.”
The first test, though, will be a tough one. The Utes play at 7th-ranked Oregon on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN).
“If we don’t turn it over I like what we’re doing,” Krystkowiak said as Utah gears up for a season-ending stretch that includes road games at Oregon, Oregon State and Colorado and then home dates with California and Stanford.
HIGH FIVE: Utah’s starters — Devon Daniels (16), Parker Van Dyke (16), David Collette (14), Kyle Kuzma (13) and Lorenzo Bonam (11) — all scored in double-digits in the Washington game.
The Utes are 2-1 when five players score 10 or more points in Pac-12 play this season. The defeated USC 86-64 but lost to UCLA 83-82 in previous outings.
“Anytime you can get five of your guys in double-figures I think that speaks well for your chemistry and team,” Krystkowiak said.
EXTRA STUFF: Utah is 51-52 in Pac-12 games, including a 16-35 mark on the road . . . The Utes plan to practice at the Portland Trail Blazers’ facility while on the Oregon trip . . . Kuzma has 15 double-doubles this season. The junior is one away from matching Jakob Poeltl’s total in 2015-16. Andrew Bogut holds the school-record with 26 in 2004-05.
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