2023–24 Utah Utes men's basketball team
The 2023–24 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by third-year head coach Craig Smith. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
2023–24 Utah Utes men's basketball | |
---|---|
![]() | |
NIT, Semifinals | |
Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
Record | 22–15 (9–11 Pac-12) |
Head coach |
|
Assistant coaches |
|
Home arena | Jon M. Huntsman Center (Capacity: 15,000) |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 11 Arizona | 15 | – | 5 | .750 | 27 | – | 9 | .750 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 23 Washington State | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 25 | – | 10 | .714 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 13 | – | 7 | .650 | 26 | – | 11 | .703 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon † | 12 | – | 8 | .600 | 24 | – | 12 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UCLA | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 16 | – | 17 | .485 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Utah | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 22 | – | 15 | .595 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
California | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 13 | – | 19 | .406 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 17 | – | 15 | .531 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
USC | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 15 | – | 18 | .455 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stanford | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 14 | – | 18 | .438 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 14 | – | 18 | .438 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon State | 5 | – | 15 | .250 | 13 | – | 19 | .406 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2024 Pac-12 tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll |
Utah started the season with strong non-conference play, winning landmark games on the road against Saint Mary's and at home against then #14th-ranked BYU. Prior to their final out-of-conference game against Bellarmine, Utah received the 29th-most votes in that week's AP poll and were projected to be a 9th-seed in that year's NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[1] Despite being dominant at home, even giving UCLA their second-worst loss in program history,[2] the Runnin' Utes failed to win all but one conference road game, scoring a last-second basket to beat the same team in Pauley Pavilion.[3] After home losses to Arizona and Arizona State, Utah was considered to be on the bubble for an NCAA tournament bid.[4][5] After a road loss to Oregon State in which Branden Carlson scored a career-high 40 points, it was reported that "Utah’s NCAA tournament hopes were all but extinguished".[6]
This season, Branden Carlson broke the all-time Runnin' Utes blocks record, finishing the season with 241 blocks.[7] Incoming transfer Deivon Smith was unable to play until December due to double-transfer eligibility rules, but was able to debut in Utah's game against Utah Valley University after judge John P. Bailey extended a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit against the NCAA to the end of the season.[8] After becoming eligible, Smith would go on to score five triple-doubles in the rest of the season, breaking the all-time Pac-12 record that was previously held by Jason Kidd.[9]
In the 2024 Pac-12 men's tournament, Utah won their first round game against Arizona State before falling to Colorado in the quarterfinals.[10] The team played in the 2024 National Invitation Tournament, being the only Pac-12 team to accept one of two automatic bids for teams in the conference.[11] This marked the program's first appearance in a postseason tournament since the 2018 NIT six years prior. Utah advanced to the semi-finals before being eliminated by the Indiana State Sycamores.[12]
This was their final season as members of the Pac-12 Conference after 12 years before they will join the Big 12 Conference in the 2024–25 season.[13]
Previous season
editThe Utes finished the 2022–23 season 17–14, 10–10 in Pac-12 play, to finish in 7th place. They lost in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament to Stanford.[14]
Offseason
editDepartures
editName | Num | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gavin Baxter | 0 | F | 6'9" | 224 | Senior | Provo, UT | Retired from basketball due to injuries[15] |
Mike Saunders Jr. | 2 | G | 6'0" | 184 | Junior | Indianapolis, IN | Transferred to McNeese State |
Bostyn Holt | 3 | F | 6'6" | 193 | Senior | Portland, OR | Graduate transferred to South Dakota |
Jaxon Brenchley | 5 | G | 6'5" | 195 | Senior | Providence, UT | Graduate transferred to Denver |
Marco Anthony | 10 | G | 6'5" | 223 | RS Senior | San Antonio, TX | Graduated |
Lazar Stefanovic | 20 | G | 6'7" | 185 | Sophomore | Belgrade, Serbia | Transferred to UCLA |
Eli Ballstaedt | 32 | G | 6'5" | 198 | Senior | Midway, UT | Walk-on; graduated |
Incoming transfers
editName | Num | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hunter Erickson | 0 | G | 6'3" | 195 | Junior | Provo, UT | Salt Lake CC |
Cole Bajema | 2 | G | 6'7" | 190 | GS Senior | Lynden, WA | Washington |
Deivon Smith | 5 | G | 6'1" | 172 | Senior | Loganville, GA | Georgia Tech |
Lawson Lovering | 34 | C | 7'1" | 225 | Junior | Cheyenne, WY | Colorado |
Recruiting classes
edit2023 recruiting class
editName | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jake Wahlin #42 PF |
Provo, UT | Timpview High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | May 22, 2023 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 75 | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: | ||||||
Sources:
|
2024 recruiting class
editUS college sports recruiting information for 2024 recruits | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
David Katoa #43 SG |
Salt Lake City, UT | Real Salt Lake Academy | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Sep 26, 2023 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 75 | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: | ||||||
Sources:
|
Roster
edit2023–24 Utah Utes men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Roster |
Schedule and results
editDate time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exhibition | |||||||||||
November 1, 2023* 6:00 p.m. |
Westminster | W 84–61 | – |
18 – Bajema | 9 – Be. Carlson | 4 – Bajema | Jon M. Huntsman Center (–) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
November 6, 2023* 7:30 p.m., P12N |
Eastern Washington | W 101–66 | 1–0 |
20 – Madsen | 11 – Keita | 8 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,632) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
November 10, 2023* 8:00 p.m., P12N |
UC Riverside | W 82–53 | 2–0 |
18 – Lovering | 7 – tied | 7 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,565) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
November 16, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPNU |
vs. Wake Forest Charleston Classic quarterfinals |
W 77–70 | 3–0 |
31 – Br. Carlson | 7 – Be. Carlson | 9 – Worster | TD Arena (2,745) Charleston, SC | ||||
November 17, 2023* 2:30 p.m., ESPN2 |
vs. No. 6 Houston Charleston Classic semifinals |
L 66–76 | 3–1 |
29 – Madsen | 8 – tied | 6 – Worster | TD Arena (3,029) Charleston, SC | ||||
November 19, 2023* 3:30 p.m., ESPN |
vs. St. John's Charleston Classic third-place game |
L 82–91 | 3–2 |
22 – Br. Carlson | 8 – Br. Carlson | 3 – tied | TD Arena (3,841) Charleston, SC | ||||
November 27, 2023* 9:00 p.m., ESPNU |
at Saint Mary's | W 78–71 | 4–2 |
17 – tied | 8 – Worster | 3 – Br. Carlson | University Credit Union Pavilion (3,500) Moraga, CA | ||||
November 30, 2023* 7:00 p.m., P12N |
vs. Hawai'i | W 79–66 | 5–2 |
17 – Br. Carlson | 9 – Worster | 3 – Worster | Delta Center (4,686) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
December 5, 2023* 7:00 p.m., P12N |
Southern Utah | W 88–86 | 6–2 |
23 – Keita | 10 – Be. Carlson | 10 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,161) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
December 9, 2023* 5:00 p.m., P12N |
No. 14 BYU Rivalry |
W 73–69 | 7–2 |
17 – Madsen | 8 – Br. Carlson | 8 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,648) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
December 16, 2023* 2:00 p.m., P12N |
Utah Valley | W 76–62 | 8–2 |
26 – Br. Carlson | 11 – Lovering | 9 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,349) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
December 20, 2023* 7:00 p.m., P12N |
Bellarmine | W 85–43 | 9–2 |
17 – Lovering | 9 – Be. Carlson | 4 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,310) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
Pac-12 regular season | |||||||||||
December 29, 2023 6:30 p.m., P12N |
Washington State | W 80–58 | 10–2 (1–0) |
20 – Madsen | 11 – Keita | 7 – Worster | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,235) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
December 31, 2023 4:00 p.m., P12N |
Washington | W 95–90 | 11–2 (2–0) |
34 – Br. Carlson | 11 – Madsen | 7 – Br. Carlson | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,468) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
January 4, 2024 9:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
at Arizona State | L 70–82 | 11–3 (2–1) |
19 – Br. Carlson | 8 – Br. Carlson | 5 – Madsen | Desert Financial Arena (6,259) Tempe, AZ | ||||
January 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., P12N |
at No. 10 Arizona | L 73–92 | 11–4 (2–2) |
18 – Madsen | 6 – Be. Carlson | 5 – Worster | McKale Center (14,688) Tucson, AZ | ||||
January 11, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
UCLA | W 90–44 | 12–4 (3–2) |
14 – tied | 14 – Br. Carlson | 8 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,934) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
January 14, 2024 3:00 p.m., P12N |
at Stanford | L 73–79 | 12–5 (3–3) |
16 – tied | 10 – Smith | 11 – Smith | Maples Pavilion (3,037) Stanford, CA | ||||
January 18, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPNU |
Oregon State | W 74–47 | 13–5 (4–3) |
18 – Keita | 15 – Keita | 8 – D. Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,063) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
January 21, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN |
Oregon | W 80–77 | 14–5 (5–3) |
24 – Smith | 9 – Smith | 8 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,919) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
January 24, 2024 8:00 p.m., P12N |
at Washington State | L 57–79 | 14–6 (5–4) |
20 – Br. Carlson | 9 – Keita | 3 – tied | Beasley Coliseum (2,605) Pullman, WA | ||||
January 27, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
at Washington | L 73–98 | 14–7 (5–5) |
20 – Smith | 7 – Keita | 3 – tied | Alaska Airlines Arena (7,419) Seattle, WA | ||||
February 3, 2024 3:00 p.m., P12N |
Colorado Rivalry |
W 73–68 | 15–7 (6–5) |
21 – Madsen | 11 – Smith | 9 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (9,294) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
February 8, 2024 6:00 p.m., P12N |
No. 8 Arizona | L 99–105 3OT | 15–8 (6–6) |
27 – Br. Carlson | 15 – Br. Carlson | 10 – D. Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (10,944) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
February 10, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
Arizona State | L 77–85 | 15–9 (6–7) |
25 – Br. Carlson | 11 – Br. Carlson | 9 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,235) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
February 15, 2024 9:00 p.m., FS1 |
at USC | L 64–68 | 15–10 (6–8) |
19 – Smith | 9 – Smith | 7 – Smith | Galen Center (5,122) Los Angeles, CA | ||||
February 18, 2024 5:00 p.m., FS1 |
at UCLA | W 70–69 | 16–10 (7–8) |
17 – tied | 7 – Br. Carlson | 10 – Smith | Pauley Pavilion (9,537) Los Angeles, CA | ||||
February 24, 2024 7:00 p.m., P12N |
at Colorado Rivalry |
L 65–89 | 16–11 (7–9) |
18 – Madsen | 6 – tied | 5 – Smith | CU Events Center (9,075) Boulder, CO | ||||
February 29, 2024 6:30 p.m., P12N |
Stanford | W 90–68 | 17–11 (8–9) |
21 – Bajema | 10 – Smith | 10 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,833) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
March 2, 2024 7:00 p.m., P12N |
California Senior Night |
W 88–59 | 18–11 (9–9) |
30 – Br. Carlson | 10 – tied | 10 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (8,841) Salt Lake City, UT | ||||
March 7, 2024 9:00 p.m., ESPNU |
at Oregon State | L 85–92 | 18–12 (9–10) |
40 – Br. Carlson | 7 – Br. Carlson | 10 – Smith | Gill Coliseum (3,362) Corvallis, OR | ||||
March 9, 2024 5:00 p.m., P12N |
at Oregon | L 65–66 | 18–13 (9–11) |
19 – Br. Carlson | 6 – Smith | 4 – Lovering | Matthew Knight Arena (8,668) Eugene, OR | ||||
Pac-12 tournament | |||||||||||
March 13, 2024 9:30 p.m., P12N |
(6) | vs. (11) Arizona State First Round |
W 90–57 | 19–13 |
22 – Baejma | 10 – tied | 9 – Smith | T-Mobile Arena (10,133) Paradise, NV | |||
March 14, 2024 9:30 p.m., FS1 |
(6) | vs. (3) Colorado Quarterfinal/rivalry |
L 58–72 | 19–14 |
13 – tied | 6 – tied | 5 – Smith | T-Mobile Arena (11,428) Paradise, NV | |||
NIT | |||||||||||
March 19, 2024* 9:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
(2) | UC Irvine First Round – Villanova bracket |
W 84–75 | 20–14 |
21 – Br. Carlson | 11 – Br. Carlson | 10 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (3,137) Salt Lake City, UT | |||
March 24, 2024* 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
(2) | (3) Iowa Second Round – Villanova bracket |
W 91–82 | 21–14 |
31 – Madsen | 10 – tied | 10 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (3,804) Salt Lake City, UT | |||
March 27, 2024* 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 |
(2) | VCU Quarterfinals – Villanova bracket |
W 74–54 | 22–14 |
18 – Madsen | 11 – Smith | 12 – Smith | Jon M. Huntsman Center (6,008) Salt Lake City, UT | |||
April 2, 2024* 5:00 p.m., ESPN |
(2) | vs. (1) Indiana State Semifinals |
L 90–100 | 22–15 |
28 – Smith | 7 – Smith | 6 – Smith | Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN | |||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Mountain Time. |
Source:[16]
Rankings
editWeek | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Final |
AP | — | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | ||||||
Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | RV | — |
*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings.
References
edit- ^ Judd, Brandon (January 31, 2024). "3 things we learned about Utah basketball during nonconference play". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ "Utah puts historic beat-down on UCLA". Reuters. January 11, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (February 19, 2024). "Utah shocks UCLA on last-second basket, ending Bruins' six-game winning streak". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Coles, Joe (February 12, 2024). "Where Utah's NCAA Tournament résumé stands after sweep by Arizona schools". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ "Bubble-riding Utah makes dreaded trip to Oregon State". CBSSports.com. March 7, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Coles, Joe (March 8, 2024). "Utah's NCAA Tournament hopes all but extinguished after 92-85 loss at Oregon State". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Bodkin, Michelle (February 10, 2024). "Branden Carlson Makes More History As A Runnin' Ute". KSL Sports. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ Coles, Joe (January 31, 2024). "Deivon Smith makes debut in Utah's 76-62 win over UVU". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Bodkin, Michelle (March 27, 2024). "Deivon Smith Breaks 30-Year-Old Pac-12 Record Held By Jason Kidd". KSL Sports. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ Judd, Brandon (March 15, 2024). "Utah's likelihood of missing NCAA Tournament again hits home after loss in Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Daschel, Nick (March 20, 2024). "Did Oregon State turn down an invitation to play in the NIT?". Oregon Live. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Judd, Brandon (April 4, 2024). "What Utah said about its run to the NIT semifinals". Deseret News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Cobb, David (August 5, 2023). "Arizona, Arizona State, Utah join Big 12: Programs follow Colorado departing Pac-12 before 2024 season". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stanford 73-62 Utah (Mar 8, 2023) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ Bodkin, Michelle (December 9, 2022). "Gavin Baxter Announces He Is Medically Retiring From Basketball". Philadelphia Media Network. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ "2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule". University of Utah Athletics. Retrieved April 8, 2024.