Ute hoopsters off and Runnin' again

Although he cut his coaching teeth with the pound-in-inside physical style of Big Ten basketball, new Utah coach Jim Boylen is trying to put the Runnin' back in Ute basketball this year.

Not only do the new Utah uniforms say "Runnin' Utes" on the front, but Boylen is hoping to increase the tempo with his undersized team this year.

"We're going to try to push the ball and score on early opportunities," he said. "Then we'll set up and try to execute."

The Utes officially open practice with "Friday Night Hoops" at the Huntsman Center at 9 p.m. Friday.

The men's team will join the women's team with short intrasquad scrimmages, a 3-point contest between the men's and women's teams and a dunk contest for the men. Also, players will be available on the concourse for autographs beforehand, and prizes will be given away.

Boylen has been generally pleased with his team's off-season work and conditioning and the brief practices the team has had individually and in small groups. He's looking forward to the opportunity to develop as a team.

"We want to use the fall practices to become a team," he said.

"We need to become tougher and more defensive-minded. We need to trust each other more and take more ownership, not how we play individually but how we play as a team."

The Utes seem to have plenty of talent with four starters back from last year and eight of their top returning scorers. Plus they have a first-team JC All-American in Tyler Kepkay who could step in and play point guard, where the Utes have been hurting the past couple of years.

Boylen said he'd like to play a core of about nine players, but right now, outside of center Luke Nevill, he said, "I don't know where it's going to go."

Nevill led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg) last year, while shooting a team-best 63.7 percent from the field. With no natural post players to back him up, he'll be counted on to play a lot of minutes this year (and stay out of foul trouble).

Johnnie Bryant, a two-year starter and one of two seniors on the team, will see a lot of action this year but perhaps not as a starter. Boylen said he likes the idea of bringing Bryant off the bench because he can play either guard spot.

Shaun Green, another two-year starter, will have to play a lot of minutes because of the Utes' lack of depth inside. He'll likely man the 4 spot again, with 6-9 sophomore Kim Tillie backing up the 4 and 5 spots.