Utah Utes basketball notebook: Team needs to improve shot selection

In losing its opener Friday night to Idaho, the young Utah basketball team showed some promise, particularly from young players such as Jason Washburn, who had 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and Marshall Henderson, who scored 18 points.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the loss was poor shot selection.

The biggest culprits were Henderson, who went 5-for-14 and Carlon Brown, who was 4-for-13. Both players forced up some ill-advised shots, but so did seniors Luka Drca and Kim Tillie, who each missed badly on a couple of 3-pointers.

"Our shot selection hurt us. We tried to do it by ourselves, which young teams do," said coach Jim Boylen. "But we have to learn what a good shot is and when is the time to take a good shot. We all tried to do it ourselves. Marshall Henderson is a very good player, but he took some bad shots. He needs to understand time, score and possession."

The players agreed they didn't take great shots against Idaho.

"I probably did try to force the issue a little too much," said Brown. "I did that; Kim did that; Marshall did that. We've got to know who we are as a team and make better decisions and better reads."

"I got frustrated there for a few minutes and forced shots and tried to drive the ball more than I should have," said Henderson. "I should have let the game come to me and I really didn't do that much in the second half like I should."

CENTER FUTURE BRIGHT: One of the positive things to come out of the first game was the play in the post.

The Utes have big shoes to fill, replacing four-year starter Luke Nevill, who was Mountain West Conference Player of the Year last year when he averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds per game.

However, the Utes got way more than that from their "two-headed monster" of David Foster and Jason Washburn in the middle.

Between the two of them, Foster and Washburn combined for 28 points on 12 of 13 shooting and 10 rebounds as well as two blocked shots.

"Our center position is going to be very good," said Boylen. "Washburn is what we said he would be and Foster played well. I like to throw the ball inside. That's how we want to play. That's the future of our program."

NOT THAT GOOD: Idaho seemed like a pretty darn good team to the Utes last Friday when the Vandals stormed into the Huntsman Center and nearly laid 100 points on the Utes in a 94-87 victory.