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SALT LAKE CITY — In their first action against an NCAA Division 1 opponent, the Runnin' Utes recorded a runaway victory over the Aggies of UC Davis. Here are a few takeaways from the matchup:
Lenz is a legitimate starting center
Questions arose over the offseason as to who would fill in for Jason Washburn (now playing in Europe) at the center position. Senior Renan Lenz won the starting job after a training camp competition with sophomore Jeremy Olsen, but it was uncertain whether or not he'd be able to hang on to it for long after a lackluster, foul-troubled opener.
Lenz settled any uncertainty against the Aggies. The Brazilian posted a career-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting with six rebounds and three blocks. He looked decidedly more aggressive and agile than he did last season in his reserve role.
Loveridge doesn't need to score to contribute
The Aggies came into the contest in hopes of slowing down Jordan Loveridge. In the points column, you might say they did a decent job, holding the sophomore forward to a scoreless first half and just 11 points overall.
But Loveridge proved he doesn't need to be putting the ball in the hoop to help his team. He grabbed seven rebounds during that scoreless first half, finishing the night with a career-high 15 boards to go with five assists.
Taylor and Wright are an electric backcourt duo
Sophomore Brandon Taylor and junior Delon Wright form one heck of a pair in the Runnin' Utes' backcourt. The entertaining guards evoked ooh's and ah's from one of the larger Huntsman Center crowds of recent seasons.
Taylor showed his quickness early and often, speeding around defenders and into the lane. When the Aggies gave him space, he made them pay by knocking down 4 of 6 from downtown en route to a game-high 21 points.
When it appears as though there is no path to the basket, Wright defies odds, and he does it in highlight-reel fashion. He used his length to Euro side-step his way through defenders for a few up-and-under layups. He completed a handful of improbable passes through traffic that would have made Tom Brady and Drew Brees tip their cap. After coming up just short of a quadruple-double in the opener, Wright again filled the stat sheet with 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
These Utes don't back down from adversity
Utah looked dominant during the opening minutes, jumping out to a 15-2 lead. Late in the first half, however, UC Davis began to make a run, snipping the Utes' lead down to five points, 34-29. To make matters worse, Loveridge and Wright both spent the final six minutes of the period on the bench due to foul trouble.
Last year, this team may have crumbled at a time like that, as evidenced by blown double-digit leads against teams like Sacramento State, Cal State Northridge and BYU.
Instead, Lenz and Taylor led the Utes on an 11-0 run to end the half. The run ultimately put the game out of reach for good, as Utah only increased its lead as the second half began.
Up next: The Runnin' Utes welcome Grand Canyon, Lamar and Savannah State to the Jon M. Huntsman Center next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, respectively, during their second annual Thanksgiving tournament. Tyson Maddy has covered the University of Utah football and men's basketball teams as a contributing writer for KSL.com Sports since 2011. Follow his Utes coverage on twitter @Tyson_Maddy
