Utah @ Coastal Carolina preview
HTC Center
Utah takes its 3-0 start and balanced attack south this week to play in the eight-team Myrtle Beach Invitational. First up is Thursday night’s quarterfinal game against host Coastal Carolina.
Forward Timmy Allen (22.7 points per game) and guard Both Gach (17.7) have been the top point producers for the young Runnin’ Utes, but five others are averaging at least 8.7 points per outing. That includes freshman point guard Rylan Jones, who is averaging 9.7 points and a team-leading 7.3 assists per outing. “The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the ability of each man,” Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “When we don’t take it on ourselves and try and beat the world, then we have a fighting chance when we stick together.” The host Chanticleers, of the Sun Belt Conference are off to a misleading 2-2 start, posting double-digit wins over Middle Tennessee (93-72) and Hampden-Sydney (102-66) and losing one-point heartbreakers to Campbell (75-74) and Northern Kentucky (69-68).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNNews
ABOUT UTAH (3-0): The Utes have sandwiched their record-setting 143-49 rout of Mississippi Valley State with hard-fought wins over 2018-19 NCAA Tournament participants Nevada (79-74 on the road) and Minnesota (73-69 at home). Friday’s victory over the Golden Gophers was the 200th of Krystkowiak’s 11-year career, which also includes two seasons at Montana. Led by Allen (8.3 boards) and fellow forward Riley Battin (7.3), the Utes are outrebounding the opposition by an average of 20.7 per game, but Utah also is averaging 13.3 turnovers per outing, including a season-high 16 versus Minnesota.
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA (2-2): The Chanticleers, led by former Clemson and Auburn coach Cliff Ellis, will be playing their fifth straight home game, having yet to yet to leave the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. Coastal Carolina is averaging 84.3 points per contest, with its top six players all contributing at least 9.5 points. Guards Tyrell Gumbs-Frater (16.3 points), Devante Jones (15.0) and Keishawn Brewton (14.8) lead the way, with Gumbs-Frater and Jones each shooting 59 percent or better from the field while hitting a combined 18-of-35 3-point attempts so far.
TIP-INS
1. This will be the first meeting between the programs, which are separated by 1,860 miles.
2. The remainder of the eight-team tourney field includes a pair of ranked teams in No. 15 Villanova and No. 23 Baylor and is rounded out by Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Tulane and Ohio. The Utah-Coastal Carolina winner faces the Ohio-Baylor winner in a Friday semifinal while the losers meet in a consolation semifinal.
3. Utah had 41 assists in the 94-point win over Mississippi Valley State but has combined for 23 in its other two games.
PREDICTION: Utah 78, Coastal Carolina 75