After the final regular-season win over San Diego State, Utah center Andrew Bogut said his team had eight more games to win this season.

Assuming he was referring to the three games at the Mountain West Conference tournament and the six games at the NCAA tournament, Bogut miscounted because that adds up to nine.

Of course, the Utes lost a game at the MWC tournament to New Mexico, so maybe the big Aussie knew what he was talking about.

The Utes are halfway to Bogut's goal of eight more wins, after knocking off favored Oklahoma 67-58 Saturday afternoon in Tucson, Ariz.

Next up is (gulp) Kentucky, the team that has eliminated the Utes from the NCAA tournament five times in the past 13 seasons, including a second-round game in 2003. Beyond that there is a possible game against the Duke-Michigan State winner and two possible games in the Final Four.

But we're getting way ahead of ourselves.

For now, it's just the guys in blue and white.

The Utes earned the right for another shot at the Wildcats by winning first- and second-round NCAA games last week at the McKale Center in Tucson. If only the Utes could play Kentucky in Tucson, where the Utes are now 7-0 in NCAA tournament games.

Instead, it will be in Austin, Texas, at the Frank Erwin Center on Friday at approximately 7:40 p.m. MST, or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Duke-Michigan State game at 5:10 p.m.

Maybe it will be different this time under first-year Ute coach Ray Giacoletti than under Rick Majerus, who could never beat Kentucky.

Giacoletti doesn't seem worried in the least that KENTUCKY is next on the Ute agenda.

After defeating Oklahoma to earn the right to play in the Sweet 16 this week, Giacoletti had no idea who was even in his bracket. When told it was the winner of Kentucky and Cincinnati, he didn't cower in fear or have his eyes pop out of his head.

He just shrugged and in his low-key way said, "Great."

Maybe the Utes can beat Kentucky this time if they play with the same attitude they displayed Saturday afternoon.

The Utes were clearly uptight in the opener against UTEP, a game they were favored to win, yet a game that was a popular upset pick in many office pools. The Utes shot a dismal 6-for-24 from 3-point range and blew a 13-point second-half lead before rallying for six straight points in the final 40 seconds.

After beating UTEP, Giacoletti said in Friday's press conference that basically his team had nothing to lose and would come out playing relaxed.

Bryant Markson said the bus ride going over to the arena Saturday was quiet, yet there was a sense of focus among the players.