Utah Utes basketball: notebook: Jim Boylen was right — Utes are getting better

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah coach Jim Boylen is building a case. With two consecutive wins, his assertions that the Utes are getting better now has outward evidence to back it up.

"This team has worked. I think they're improving, and we have two games now where I think you on the outside can see the improvement," Boylen said after Wednesday's 82-72 victory over New Mexico. "I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for these guys to have some success."

Prior to knocking off Wyoming and New Mexico, Utah was mired in a seven-game skid.

"I feel we really weren't playing as a team and we had a lot of stuff to work on," junior guard Josh Watkins said while noting that the players have watched a lot of film and are working hard to fix the things they were doing wrong.

Boylen admits he's always worried about defense and turnovers. Several other concerns, however, are being lessened.

"I think this team is just starting to develop," Boylen said. "I felt the last part of it was to try to breakthrough and get some wins. Hopefully, we can build from there with some confidence and keep growing — stay with the system that we have and how we're supposed to play."

The next opportunity comes Saturday at TCU.

"It's a big game," Watkins said.

A win will even Utah's record at 10-10 overall and 3-3 in Mountain West Conference play.

HAWAIIAN PUNCH: Boylen reflected on how Utah's seven-game losing streak got started. It began at the Diamondhead Classic in Hawaii with losses to Butler (74-62), the host Warriors (68-55) and San Diego (67-64).

"I'm still trying to figure out that Hawaii trip because we were 7-3 going in there. I felt we were one of the better teams there but we didn't play like it," Boylen said. "Maybe we had to go through that. I don't know. Maybe we had to go through some of this to get these guys where we needed to get to. I don't know. I'm just thankful we're improving."

MAKING THEM PAY: Sophomore Shawn Glover came out firing against New Mexico, hitting a career-high four 3-pointers in Utah's victory.

"I was open so I just shot it," he said after attempting seven shots from beyond the arc. "They weren't playing me, I guess, so I just shot it."

The Lobos likely got a look at the stat sheet. Glover entered the game shooting just 21.4 percent (9-of-42) from 3-point range.

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