Utah
Last season: 27-9, lost in second round of NCAA Tournament.
Nickname: Utes.
Coach: Larry Krystkowiak.
Conference: Pac-12.
Who’s gone: C Jakob Poeltl, F Jordan Loveridge, G Brandon Taylor, F Dakarai Tucker, F Brekkott Chapman, F Chris Reyes, G Isaiah Wright
Who’s back: F Kyle Kuzma. Junior forward averaged 10.8 points per game last season and is the highest returning scorer; G Lorenzo Bonam. The senior guard averaged 10.2 points per game and had the most assists last season of any returner.
Who’s new: F David Collette. The junior Utah State transfer is expected to log major minutes once eligible to play in December; G Sedrick Barefield. The sophomore SMU transfer is in the same boat as Collette; G Parker Van Dyke. The sophomore deep threat returns from a two-year Mormon mission in Birmingham, Alabama; F Jakub Jokl. The freshman big man from the Czech Republic is raw and still learning English; G JoJo Zamora. The junior transfer averaged 18.5 points per game last year at Yuba College; C Jayce Johnson. The redshirt freshman was one of the top centers in the country in high school.
The Skinny: The Utes have just two players on the roster that played significant minutes for Utah last season. That’s why Utah was picked to finish No. 8 in the Pac-12 despite back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and an established culture built by Krystkowiak. There’s talent on the roster, but little is known about the new players.
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