Utah Utes basketball: Runnin' Utes getting better, but wins still tough to come by

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's 55-48 loss to Colorado Saturday proved to be a measuring stick of sorts. It was a far cry from Dec. 31 when the Buffaloes stampeded the Utes by 40 points in Boulder.

"We've come a long ways since then," said Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak. "We battled and represented ourselves a heckuva lot better."

And how.

The rematch in the Huntsman Center was tied at 44-44 with just over four minutes left to play. Although Colorado managed to pull away down the stretch, the competitive contest featured seven lead changes and five ties.

"If we would have made a few more plays then we had a chance to win," center Jason Washburn said after the Utes (5-21, 2-12) dropped their seventh consecutive game.

The victory drought dates back to a 64-43 win over Arizona State on Jan. 21. Losses to UCLA, USC, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona State, Arizona and Colorado have followed. The first four were double-digit setbacks by an average of 18.2 points. The last three were all single-digit losses with an average margin of seven points.

The numbers indicate that the Utes are making progress, even in the midst of tough times. They're just 2-11 since positing back-to-backs wins over Idaho State and Portland in mid-December.

It isn't easy, Washburn noted, to bounce back after mounting losses — big or small. The Utes, however, continue to find a way to keep on keeping on.

"I think this team has shown a lot of heart and drive in that area," Washburn said. "We've always bounced right back. We've always come to practice with some energy and we just try to get better every day."

The opportunities for improvement this season are becoming limited. Utah closes out its home schedule this week with games against California on Thursday and Stanford on Saturday. The Utes wrap up the regular season the following week at Oregon State and Oregon. Then comes the Pac-12 Tournament in Los Angeles.

"We've got to play our basketball and try to control the things we can control," Washburn said.

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