Off-key Utah ends on a high note

Was anyone really expecting a championship to come easily for the Utes?

This season's basketball team was closer to a meatball sandwich than fine dining. It could be spicy and satisfying, but at the same time, there was always the chance it would turn out sloppy and flat.

But go ahead, pass the Parmesan cheese; the regular season is over. The Utes locked up a tie for the regular-season championship Saturday with a 68-49 win over TCU. Which is how they wanted it to finish.

Well, not completely, but close enough. Eight days ago, they held a two-game lead in the conference standings with three games remaining. All they needed was a single victory to lock up at least a tie; two wins for an outright title. But they nearly blew it, losing at BYU and New Mexico.

It wasn't exactly humiliating, considering the Cougars and Lobos finished tied for first, too. But as long as you're in the orchard, why not pick the fruit?

Instead, they reverted to the old, insecure, confounding Utes for a week. Some bad finishes at the end of the half, a few lazy trips back on defense and, next thing you know, they had company at the top.

Still, they made it, thanks to a great a start and finish against TCU. Coach Jim Boylen wrote "Defend, rebound, run" on the board in the locker room — and they did.

They defended their position, rebounded from two straight losses, and ran their overall record to 20-8.

"We had some doubts at the start of the season, but we knew we had the talent to get here," said center Luke Nevill.

Like almost everyone, the 2008-09 Utes had blemishes. Isn't that what you'd call the exchange of words and mild shoves between Shaun Green and Nevill as their game at New Mexico was unraveling on Tuesday? A blemish.

Yet they turned things around on the final day of the regular season, thus earning an emotional thank you from Boylen. After the game ended, he took the microphone and squeaked out, "Go, Utes!" over the loudspeakers.

It was slightly surreal, considering they started out with early losses to Southwest Baptist and Idaho State. They were picked in the preseason polls to finish just fourth in the Mountain West Conference, and never did crack the national rankings.

Flying under the radar seemed their only option.