Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- With recent news of Ute leading scorer Josh Watkins being suspended indefinitely, Utah's basketball season just got a little bleaker. Watkins takes his 17.7 ppg average and 4.8 assists a game with him and leaves the Utes with a big void to fill.
With now only three returning players from last year's team first year coach Larry Krystkowiak has his work cut out for him heading into the school's first year in the Pac-12. Utah has lost five of its six games by double digits including 21-point loss to Boise State, 28-point loss to Harvard, and a 30-point loss to Fresno State. The Utes also dropped an exhibition game to Division II Adams State College.
The state of Utah basketball is similar to a spell that BYU went through in 1996-97 when the Cougars went 1-25. BYU returned just four players and had only one player average double figures for the season. The Cougars also suffered some crushing defeats losing by 32 points to Pacific, 40 points to TCU, and 51 points to Washington.
This year, Utah won its first game of the season with a three-point win over San Diego Christian College but has since dropped six in a row. It took BYU until its seventh game to finally get a win as the Cougars beat Utah State by three for their first victory.
While BYU reached an unprecedented new low in the 96-97 season, Utah was in the middle of experiencing great success. The Utes won six straight conference championships during the late 90's, repeatedly advanced in the NCAA tournament and played in the national title game in 1998.
#poll
Likewise BYU has experienced recent success on the hardwood superior to that of their rivals up north. The Cougars reached new heights last year with a top 10 ranking, advancement to the Sweet 16, and national player of the year Jimmer Fredette, while the Utes struggle heading into a more competitive league.
With the seasons seeming to parallel each other the Utes hope that Krystkowiak's rebuilding process is as quick as Steve Cleveland's was at BYU.
Cleveland took over as head coach after BYU's debacle season and had the Cougars cutting down the nets as Mountain West Conference champions in just his fourth year, and playing in the NCAA tournament.
Cleveland rebuilt the Cougars program around local prep star Mekeli Wesley, who he recruited to join him in his first year on the bench. By the time Wesley left as a senior he was a conference champion and was named conference Player of the Year.
Similarly, the Utes hope that West Jordan commit Jordan Loveridge can do the same for them looking into the future. Loveridge is a four-star, ESPN top 100 recruit who has the versatility to play inside and outside the key.
Krystkowiak and the Utes will be counting on Loveridge to be the cornerstone for Utah's rebuilding project.
