Borchardt turns into hoop fan

Curtis Borchardt flew to Kansas City on Sunday, watched Stanford's women knock three-time defending champion Connecticut out of the NCAA Tournament, then flew back to Utah on Monday morning and returned in time for work.

It was a whirlwind trip, but entirely worth it for the Jazz center — whose wife, the former Susan King, is Stanford's starting point guard.

"She went back for this very experience," Borchardt said of Susan, who is playing her final college season on a medical exemption after overcoming anterior cruciate knee ligament reconstruction. "And she's made the most of it."

Stanford faces Michigan State in tonight's regional title game, with a Final Four berth on the line.

Borchardt — who says it is "harder" to be a fan than actually play the game — won't be in the stands tonight in Kansas City, but there is a chance he can make it Indianapolis next Sunday should Stanford advance.

"I think, more than anything," said Borchardt, a Stanford product himself who met Susan in the training room while the two were rehabbing injuries, "I just want her team to play to the best of its potential."

BOOZER IN L.A.: Injured Jazz forward Carlos Boozer was in Los Angeles on Monday for a follow-up on the second opinion he sought regarding his strained right foot.

Jazz trainer Gary Briggs said he probably would not have results from the visit until today.

Boozer, the Jazz's leading scorer and rebounder when healthy this season, was expected to be back in Salt Lake today.

HANDLOGTEN STAYS: As expected, the Jazz have opted to sign for the rest of the season big man Ben Handlogten, whose second 10-day contract expired after Monday night's game against the Houston Rockets.

Handlogten played five minutes scoreless minutes off the bench in Utah's 99-85 loss to Houston on Monday.