Utah’s men’s basketball team can be forgiven last season for not upholding what coach Craig Smith said is a “rich tradition of excellence” in his first year at the helm after replacing dismissed coach Larry Krystkowiak in March 2021.
Granting the Runnin’ Utes a mulligan was certainly in order, considering that most of the best players left for supposed greener pastures at Texas, Utah State, Illinois, Maryland and Arizona, or turned pro, in the case of Mikael Jantunen.
Smith inherited a mostly empty cupboard.
“Now it is on us to get it done, right? Whether it is me as the head coach, or our staff, or our guys on the team, it is time to go do it.” — Utah basketball coach Craig Smith on the 2022-23 season
Some grace should certainly be allowed this year for the rebuilding program, but not quite as much as in 2021-22 when the Utes finished 11-20 overall and 4-16 in Pac-12 play.
Besides, Smith and his team wouldn’t want that, anyway.
“We have great support from our administration. We have tremendous facilities. There are so many things we have, from nutrition to strength and conditioning, right down the line. We have the tools and the leadership in place to succeed,” Smith said at Pac-12 media day last month.
“Now it is on us to get it done, right?” Smith continued. “Whether it is me as the head coach, or our staff, or our guys on the team, it is time to go do it.”
Don’t be fooled. Utah, which endured a program record 10-game losing streak in Pac-12 play last winter, probably isn’t ready to challenge Arizona, UCLA and Oregon for the conference championship in 2022-23, but the Utes won’t be satisfied with a 10th-place finish in the league, which is where they have been picked for the second-straight year.
“I definitely think we are going to be better this year,” said senior center Branden Carlson, a returning All-Pac-12 selection. “Just the mindset that this team has compared to last year and the physicality our team plays with, and just how cohesive we are together should lead to more success.
“With practices and stuff, you can see a difference,” Carlson said at the league’s media day. “I think this year is going to be a really big step in the right direction.”
So far, so good.
The Utes blasted Long Island University 89-48 in Monday’s season opener, showing prowess in all facets of the game against an obviously overmatched opponent.
With a butter-soft early schedule that includes CSU Bakersfield on Friday at the Huntsman Center, followed by visits from Idaho State (Nov. 14) and Sam Houston State (Nov. 17), the Utes should be 4-0 heading into a matchup with Georgia Tech in the Fort Myers (Florida) Tip-Off the week before Thanksgiving.
“I feel like the biggest difference this year is that we are a lot bigger, faster and stronger,” said senior wing Marco Anthony, who has been slowed by a heel bruise that kept him off the court in the 93-58 exhibition win over Westminster and last Monday’s opener. “We will (surprise) some people, for sure. That’s the whole plan. We kinda like being the underdogs, because whatever we do is just going to (surprise) everybody but ourselves. It is going to be great.”
An upgrade in personnel
Utah’s 2022-23 roster can be broken down into three parts: the returning players, the transfers, and the three freshmen who are all expected to contribute.
“There has been a lot of change in a short amount of time with our program, and our roster,” Smith said. “But it is a great group. We have an attitude that craves improvement. Then we have a bunch of guys that love the gym, that love to compete. They don’t just want to play; they want to compete.”
Carlson said it only took a couple of games of pickup ball when the group got together for the first time in early June for him to realize this isn’t last year’s team with a couple new faces who might be able to play.
“We are definitely a lot stronger and more physical,” he said. “And a lot faster, too. There are guys on this team that can really get up and down the floor.”
Said Smith: “I think depth matters, and we want to play around nine guys (regularly), maybe even 10, if we can. We want to bring the ‘running’ back to the Runnin’ Utes, where we want to get up and down the floor.”
He said that before last season, too, but some injuries and illnesses in December after a promising 6-0 start scuttled those plans somewhat.
“To win at this level, you gotta really, really compete. And you better have some depth. I anticipate this team being much deeper where we can go to a lot of different guys, and have more versatility to play a lot of different ways, which you need to do to win at the highest level,” Smith said.
A solid core of returners, led by Carlson and Anthony
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Anthony’s decision to return for a fifth year of college ball — he started his career at Virginia and also played at Utah State before following Smith to SLC — was a positive development for Utah last spring. He’s a proven team leader and glue guy, along with bringing remarkable versatility — particularly on the defensive end.
Smith said after the LIU game that Anthony “may miss a little bit of time” with the bruised heel, which shouldn’t be a big concern unless it lingers into the MTE in Florida.
Anthony said he worked hard on his shooting in the offseason, with positive results.
“Just to open up more opportunities for not only myself, but the team,” he said. “I feel like I am going to take it a step further this year. I am just doing what it takes to get the ball in the hole. … I feel better about it.”
Carlson led the Utes in scoring (13.6 points per game) in 2021-22 and averaged 6.0 rebounds per game and garnered All-Pac-12 second-team honors, despite missing eight games due to an appendectomy and COVID-19 afflictions. He will be the target of opposing teams’ defenses this season, and says he is ready for it.
“I think I am a better playmaker this year. I think I am making better decisions with the ball in my hands, just trying to play through my teammates more this year and just help out more,” he said. “Last year, I feel like once I got the ball in the post, and once I put the ball on the floor, it was like (everyone) knew I was going to try and go score. Now I look to make plays for others.”
Carlson had 21 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes against LIU and will be a huge key to Utah’s fortunes this season — if he can stay healthy.
“These two guys (Anthony and Carlson) have been outstanding,” Smith said at media day. “Both of them had great summers and a very good preseason, and have done a great job with their leadership, using their voice, not only talking the talk, but walking the walk, getting in the gym. … These guys have put in the time.”
Juniors Gabe Madsen and Rollie Worster are also back and are in the starting lineup, although either could give way to Anthony when he returns and Worster will be pushed for the starting point guard role by Cincinnati transfer Mike Saunders Jr.
Seniors Bostyn Holt, Eli Ballstaedt and Jaxon Brenchley add valuable experience. Smith has raved about Holt’s potential to make an impact, although the transfer from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College didn’t score in 13 minutes against LIU after netting 12 against Westminster.
Another returner, 6-7 guard Lazar Stefanovic, has struggled shooting to date (4 of 22) but Smith said it is only a matter of time before the member of the All-Pac-12 Freshman Team a year ago finds his groove.
“I feel like Lazar took his game to another level in the offseason,” Smith said. “… I am really excited about all those guys that have returned. They understand our culture, what we are about, and what it stands for, and are able to talk and teach the newcomers what Runnin’ Utes basketball is all about.”
A trio of tried and true transfers
The aforementioned Saunders, who prepped at Wasatch Academy in central Utah, is just one of three transfers who Smith says will make an impact. The others are former Wisconsin forward Ben Carlson — not related to Branden Carlson — and fifth-year graduate transfer Gavin Baxter from BYU.
Actually, all three have already made an impact, particularly Saunders, who is lightning quick and gives the Utes a paint penetrator they haven’t had for a few years.
Saunders had 11 points and two assists off the bench against the Sharks in 22 minutes.
“I thought he had an outstanding floor game,” Smith said.
Ben Carlson gives the Utes much-needed size inside to complement Branden Carlson, and will be a welcome addition if he continues to rebound like he did against LIU, grabbing 11 caroms in 18 minutes.
As for Baxter, the 6-9 Timpview High product who suffered multiple season-ending injuries with the Cougars before following former BYU assistant coach Chris Burgess to Salt Lake City, he has been on a minutes restriction early after having been cleared to play only two weeks ago.
If Baxter can stay healthy, he might be the wild card Utah needs, because he’s not only an accomplished rim protector, he’s skilled offensively and has some swagger and confidence that seemed to be lacking on the Hill last year.
“I am really excited about our transfers,” Smith said. “I think all three will make an impact. … We knew we had to really upgrade in a lot of areas, mainly our athleticism and our size, and then getting guys with size that bring physicality and play with force. And certainly if you come to a workout or practice I think you will see that in full force.”
Does bringing in three players from the transfer portal signal that that’s the direction Smith wants to go to get the program back to respectability? Not necessarily, he said.
“I heard not too long ago that you used to build a program, but now you gotta build a team,” he said. “I get why coaches would say that. Now, I might be too ‘old school,’ but I think you can really build a program.”
Freshman class already showing promise
Speaking of which, Smith said his freshman class of Wilguens Exacte Jr., Keba Keita and Luka Tarlac (who has been injured and/or ill at the start of the season) have the potential to be solid building blocks for the program.
Exacte is a 6-6 guard from Montreal, Canada, by way of the NBA Academy Latin America, while Keita is a 6-8 center from Mali who played at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant and was a big get for the Utes considering BYU, UNLV and other programs in the West wanted the outstanding defender.
Tarlac is a 6-7 guard from Belgrade, Serbia, who already has a lot of international experience with the Serbian under-16 team and with Partizan, where he played with Stefanovic.
“I anticipate all three of those guys finding their way on the floor,” Smith said in October. “I think they all impact winning.”
Exacte, who received a surprise visit from his father before the opener Monday, has been impressive early. He had 12 points and six rebounds against LIU in 21 minutes and has an NBA-type body already.
“Wil was really, really good, for a true freshman in his very first game,” Smith said. “… He had a great game in every facet.”
