Utah’s Connectedness Fueling Strong Start To Season
Nov 8, 2024, 9:18 PM | Updated: Nov 9, 2024, 10:08 am
SALT LAKE CITY – In last night’s 98-64 over Central Arkansas, the Runnin’ Utes continued to provide good indications of what could be this season.
There were a couple of milestones for Utah as well. The Utah Basketball program became just the 15th program in the country to reach 1,900 wins. Senior guard Gabe Madsen become the 42nd player to join Utah’s 1,000 point club.
Tonight's Final‼️
We will see you all again here at the Huntsman on November 12th! pic.twitter.com/qDykbj2Kto
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 8, 2024
Through two games, there continue to be encouraging signs. This squad pushed the tempo, created individually and for others, and competed with great effort on the defensive end.
Utah Embracing Math Ball?
“I’ve never been a part of a game where there was 90 threes attempted,” head coach Craig Smith said. “We do have a lot of good shooters on this team and we had a lot of clean looks.”
“Pretty absurd stat – Utah is shooting 72.1%!! of their field goals from 3-point range across two games this season. No team has ever eclipsed 58% across a full year in KenPom’s database. Last night against Central Arkansas, Utah took 50 threes and 15 twos. It was the first time that’s happened in a DI vs. DI game in Basketball Reference’s history. Math ball is real for the Utes this season.” – Matthew Winick of The Score
Pretty absurd stat – Utah is shooting 72.1%!! of their field goals from 3-point range across two games this season. No team has ever eclipsed 58% across a full year in KenPom's database.
Last night against Central Arkansas, Utah took 50 threes and 15 twos. It was the first time…
— Matthew Winick (@matthewwinick) November 8, 2024
After setting a program record with 19 3-point makes on Monday, the Utes tied that record in game two after knocking down 19-of-50 attempts from deep.
“What’d we shoot 38% from the three, it’s a good number,” Smith said. “And honestly, we didn’t even shoot it great, and we missed a lot of open looks.”
It’s RAINING in the Huntsman again‼️🎯
This connection between @mongolshark and @masmadsen makes it 8 3-pointers and counting for the Utes in the first half!#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/7GyWKGHRx2
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 8, 2024
Utah wants to play up-tempo and seems to have embraced the “math ball” style. Senior guard Gabe Madsen leads Utah in many ways. He paces the squad at 12-of-23 from deep. Twin brother Mason is nipping on his heels at 10-of-21, while Mike Sharavjamts, Miro Little, and Keanu Dawes are a combined 10-of-25 from deep.
“We recruited to that, not just shooting; you’ve got to have great decision-makers,” Smith said. “A lot of the reasons we’re getting these opens thress is our decision making, our ability to play off the ball, and our selflessness.”
Automatic @GabeMadsen53 with the fade 🎯#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/47xi4cn1Ej
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 8, 2024
“I thought we had a lot of rhythm looks, a lot of really clean looks, and we passed up quite a few of them,” he said. “But that effective field goal percentage is going to look really good.”
Utah has made more 3-point shots (38), than attempted 2-point shots (34). Their effective field goal percentage, 66.4%, is tied for No. 17 in the country.
Utah’s connectedness really stands out
“It feels like we’re very connected on both sides,” Smith said. “The connectivity defensively has to be communication, has to be the connectedness, and I thought we did a good job with it.”
Utah defended Central Arkansas really well, as they limited the Bears to 31% shooting on 67 field goal attempts and forcing 14 turnovers. They finished the game 12 steals and had 8 blocks, a couple of which were rather emphatic
“Meet me at the RIM!” said @WahlinJake 🚫#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/u48P1QKw4f
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 8, 2024
On the other end of the floor, Utah created quite well for others. The Utes finished with 23 assists on 30 field goals, seven players had at least one, and three had at least five.
“On the offensive end, when you have 29 assists (in Monday’s game) and 23 assists, that’s a lot of selfless play,” Smith said. “I thought we had a couple of times we could have made one more pass, and it was wide open, but we didn’t quite see it.”
We love a no-look 🤩@mongolshark with the dish to @WahlinJake for the quick 2!#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/MDlpxD4Er6
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) November 8, 2024
Utah has 52 assists through these two games, which is a good indication of offensive success. Utah is No. 2 in the country in assists per field goal made and No. 5 in assists per game.
