Jason Washburn waited patiently all through last season, not playing a minute as a redshirt. Then, just as he was rounding into shape for this season, he injured his knee in mid-September, keeping him out of fall practice with the Utah basketball team.

Finally, the 7-footer from Michigan was able to play with his teammates Tuesday — and he couldn't be happier.

"It felt great," Washburn said. "Now it's just a matter of getting myself back in shape."

It was difficult to sit out all last season for Washburn, who admits he has little patience.

"It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," he said. "But it was all for the best."

Washburn understood he would get little playing time behind Luke Nevill, who averaged more than 30 minutes per game on his way to Mountain West Conference Player of the Year honors.

Now that he's back, Washburn is expected to challenge David Foster for the starting center spot, and coach Jim Boylen expects the two to basically share the center position this year.

ANOTHER DIVISION II POWER ON TAP: You might think Utah would be wary of playing the defending NCAA Division II champion team this year after what happened last year.

You might remember a year ago, when the Utes were shocked by Division II Southwest Baptist in their home opener.

This year, the Utes are playing the University of Findlay out of Ohio on Saturday at noon before the Utah-New Mexico football game later in the afternoon.

However, there is a big difference between last year's game with Southwest Baptist, which counted as a loss, and Saturday's game with Findlay, which will be the Utes' only exhibition game.

UTE NOTES: Jordan Cyphers was hobbling with a sprained his ankle and Foster sat out of practice Tuesday with a stomach virus. … Freshman Marshall Henderson is still playing with the starting group and could be on the starting guard line. … Boylen said Cyphers, Jace Tavita and Chris Hines are all battling for playing time at one of the backup wing positions. … Boylen is expected to redshirt 6-foot-10 freshman Jeremy Olsen, who is planning to go on an LDS mission after the season. Another player who has been considered for a redshirt is freshman Shawn Glover, but he may see more time with Jay Watkins out of the lineup for a month or so with a stress fracture of his pelvis.

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