ESPN's Jay Bilas Picks Utah #21
Counting down the top teams
Friday, Oct. 16 9:01pm ET
21. Utah (30-4, WAC champions, NCAA runner-up)
Andre Miller is the best and most versatile point guard in the nation,
and Hanno Mottola should blossom into a star. Miller (14.2 points, 5.4
rebounds, 73 steals, 56 percent FG) will look to score more, and he will
have to rebound even more on the defensive end with Michael Doleac gone.
Mottola (12.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg) can put the ball on the floor and extend to
the basket, and he can hit the mid-range shot. He must emerge as the Utes'
go-to threat when Miller is forced to give it up, and he has to be Utah's
leading rebounder.
Alex Jensen (6.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) has shown the ability to lock up the
opposition's best scorer and is the leading returning rebounder. Jensen
does all the little things that teams need to win. Utah will be hurt by
Britton Johnsen's decision to leave for a two-year Mormon mission, but
Rick Majerus knows that goes with the territory. Utah, even without Doleac
to clean up mistakes, will get out and defend, and that will keep the Utes
in a lot of games.
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