With a solid backcourt and one of the better freshman classes in the Pac-12, Utah Basketball still has potential. However, as a young team in a transition year of sorts, their floor may be just as low as their ceiling is high.
After a shaky start to the 2017-2018 campaign, Utah finished strong by winning 10 of their last 13 games (including the NIT Tournament). This season, the young Utes will look to pick up right where they left off. Without three of their top four scorers from last season (such as All-Conference selections Justin Bibbins and David Collette), that may be a tall task, but there will certainly still be talent on the roster for Larry Krystkowiak to work with.
The leader of the squad will be the electric guard Sedrick Barefield, who declared for the NBA draft before deciding to return for his Senior season. He’s poised to be one of the better players in the Pac-12, and he won’t have to face the competition alone. After the commitments of the top 2 players in Arizona, the Utes have one of the better freshman classes in both the conference and the country. The question is, as a young team and an exceptionally difficult non-conference schedule, will they be able to form the chemistry and confidence needed for a return to the Big Dance? In a conference that should only have 3-4 NCAA Tournament bids, they’ll need it all to come together perfectly if they want to have a shot, but it’s certainly not out of the question.