Two staples of Salt Lake City are wide street lanes and tall University of Utah basketball players.
The Utes, who host Hawaii today at the Delta Center, have one of the tallest starting lineups in NCAA basketball. Their starting double-post offense features 7-foot Branden Carlson and 7-1 Lawson Lovering.
“They’re very big,” UH associate head coach John Montgomery said of the 4-2 Utes, whose average starter is 6-8 1/3. “They’re the biggest team in the country. We’re very impressed with them.”
The Rainbow Warriors have opened the season with five consecutive victories, including two to win last week’s Acrisure Invitational at Palm Desert, Calif. But they face an opponent that uses length to impede shots in the lane, particularly off ball screens, and can create points in the post and at the perimeter.
“Their defense is very sound — similar to ours, similar to Saint Mary’s,” Montgomery said.
Saint Mary’s is a common opponent in different settings. The Gaels routed the ’Bows in a charity exhibition last month in Honolulu. The Utes beat Saint Mary’s 78-71 on Monday in Moraga, Calif.
“It’ll be a chess match,” Montgomery said of today’s inter-conference game. “Both teams will try to execute offensively against two good defensive teams.”
Carlson, who plays the four, is effective in the lane (51.1%), from behind the arc (36%) and at the line (79.5%). “He’s got an elite skill,” Montgomery said. “He can really shoot the 3. He’s athletic and long and he can score in the post. We’ll have our hands full with him.”
Cole Bajema, a 6-7 wing who previously played at Michigan and Washington, has connected on 44.8% of his 3s.
Point guard Rollie Worster has an assist-turnover ratio of plus 3.77. At 6-4, Worster averages 2.2 offensive rebounds per game.
The ’Bows have received a boost from transfers Justin McKoy and Matthue Cotton.
McKoy, a 6-8 four who previously played at Virginia and North Carolina, has impressed with his all-around skills. He averages 8.6 rebounds, and is hitting 52.9% of his shots from behind the arc. He is 9-for-11 on free throws.
“Justin McKoy has been coming along,” Montgomery said. “I think he’s as healthy as he’s been in a long time. He can score in multiple ways. He can shoot the 3. He’s done a good job of driving and finishing around the rim.”
Cotton, a graduate transfer from Yale, did not play last season — his fourth with the Bulldogs — while recovering from an injury to his left (shooting) shoulder. Because the Ivy League has a strict policy of limiting players to four seasons, Cotton needed to enter the portal to complete his remaining year of eligibility.
Against UT Rio Grande Valley on Friday, Cotton buried five 3s and finished with 23 points.
Guard Noel Coleman, who was named Big West player of the week after scoring 43 points in the Acrisure Invitational, has continued to expand his game.
“I think he’s made a huge jump in terms of finishing around the rim,” Montgomery said. “Maybe in the past, some of his finishes he would have tried to go off one foot and shoot a runner and maybe not finish. We’ve really been working on him getting to — and finishing — on contact. He really did that (last weekend), which was great to see.”
In the Acricsure, Coleman was 9-for-11 on layups or short jumpers in the paint. Four of the baskets came on fast breaks.
NCAA BASKETBALL
At Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
>> Who: Hawaii (5-0) vs. Utah (4-2)
>> When: T0day at 4 p.m. HT
>> TV: Pac-12 Network
>> Radio: 1500 AM
>> Streaming: Pac-12 Network
