NCAA Tournament 2000

Utah Utes
RECORD: 23-9 COACH: Rick Majerus | SEASON RESULTS | SEASON STATS

OUTLOOK

First round: Defeated Saint Louis, 48-45

Second round: Lost to Michigan State, 73-61<br>

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Utah deserves credit for winning the inaugural Mountain West Conference title, sharing it with UNLV. The Utes did it with as many distractions as a head coach would ever want to deal with. Trent Whiting, their replacement for Andre Miller at point guard, got hurt, then decided to transfer. In Rick Majerus' system, as it is in others, the point guard is the most valuable guy. Majerus had to go with first-year player Gary Colbert the rest of the year.

I don't think people realize the importance of Hanno Möttölä to that team. Utah is not a great offensive team to begin with, and he is one of the top players in the nation, when he is healthy. He has been bothered by injuries all season.

The Utes are short-handed, but still a very good basketball team. They win with defense and rebounding. Teams with quickness give them problems. For instance, Louisville beat them by 20.

The NCAA Tournament will be a matchup game for Utah. The Utes have the potential to win a game or two, but I don't think they can go much further than that. -- Jimmy Dykes, ESPN

ROSTER

No Name Position Height Weight Class Rebounds Assists Points

- Dennis Smith F - - - 1.3 0.0 3.3
- Matt Ray G - - - - - -
- Matt Vivas F - - - 0.8 0.0 0.0
- Seth Black G - - - 0.0 0.5 1.0
3 Gary Colbert G 6-1 175 SO 2.3 3.0 3.6
4 Adam Sharp G 6-2 180 SO 0.8 0.8 1.3
5 Tony Harvey GF 6-5 200 SR 2.6 2.5 9.4
13 Hanno Mottola F 6-9 250 SR 4.7 1.8 17.4
21 Trent Whiting G 6-0 180 JR 3.0 1.0 5.0
25 Brandon Sluga GF 6-4 210 SR 0.0 0.4 1.0
32 Jeremy Killion G 5-11 190 SR 1.8 1.8 9.4
35 Jeff Johnson GF 6-4 200 SO 3.7 2.0 6.0
40 Phil Cullen FC 6-9 215 SO 2.4 0.8 5.3
42 Mike Puzey F 6-8 215 FR 2.8 0.3 2.8
50 Alex Jensen F 6-7 225 SR 7.6 3.2 13.2
52 Nate Althoff C 6-11 260 JR 4.9 0.1 10.0

PROBABLE STARTERS

F -- Hanno Mottola (6-9, Sr., 17.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F -- Alex Jensen (6-7, Sr., 13.2, 7.6, 3.2)
C -- Nate Althoff (6-11, Jr., 10.0, 4.9, 0.1)
G -- Tony Harvey (6-5, Sr., 9.4, 2.6, 2.5)
G -- Jeremy Killion (5-11, Sr., 9.4, 1.8, 1.8)

TOP RESERVES

F -- Phil Cullen (6-9, So., 5.3, 2.4, 0.8)
G -- Gary Colbert (6-1, So., 3.6, 2.3, 3.0)
G -- Jeff Johnsen (6-4, So., 6.0, 3.7, 2.0)

NOTABLE
Seed, Region and Bid: 8, Midwest, At-Large
Total NCAA Tournament Bids: 22
NCAA Tournament Record: 30-24 (.556)
Final Four Appearances: 4 (1998, 1966, 1961, 1944)
NCAA Tournament Championships: 1 (1944)
Best NCAA Tournament Finish: National champions
Final ESPN/USA Today ranking: NR
Final Associated Press ranking: NR
Final Ratings Percentage Index: 50
Final Sagarin Computer Ranking: 42

RECORD VS. RANKED TEAMS (1-1)
Dec. 19 -- Lost to No. 12 Kentucky, 56-48 Dec. 22 -- Beat No. 14 Texas, 79-73 (Opponents ranking reflects ranking on game day)

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Overall Record: 30-24 (.556)
Final Four Appearances: 4 (1944, 1961, 1966 and 1998)
National Championships: 1 (1944)

1999--Second seed in South Region
Defeated Arkansas State in first round, 80-58
Lost to Miami, Ohio in second round, 66-58

1998--Third seed in West Region
Defeated San Francisco in first round, 85-68
Defeated Arkansas in second round, 75-69
Defeated West Virginia in regional semifinal, 65-62
Defeated Arizona in regional final, 76-51
Defeated North Carolina in National Semifinal, 65-59
Lost to Kentucky in National Championship, 78-69

1997--Second seed in West Region
Defeated Navy in first round, 75-61
Defeated North Carolina-Charlotte in second round, 77-58
Defeated Stanford in regional semifinal, 82-77 (ot)
Lost to Kentucky in regional final, 72-59

1996--Fourth seed in Midwest Region
Defeated Canisius in first round, 72-43
Defeated Iowa State in second round, 73-67
Lost to Kentucky in regional semifinal, 84-60

1995--Fourth seed in West Region
Defeated Long Beach State in first round, 76-64
Lost to Mississippi State in second round, 78-64

1993--Eighth seed in Southeast Region
Defeated Pittsburgh in first round, 86-65
Lost to Kentucky in second round, 83-62

1991--Fourth seed in West Region
Defeated South Alabama in first round, 82-72
Defeated Michigan State in second round, 85-84 (2 OT)
Lost to UNLV in regional semifinal, 83-66

1986--Fourteenth seed in West Region
Lost to North Carolina in first round, 84-72

1983--Tenth seed in West Region
Defeated Illinois in first round, 52-49
Defeated UCLA in second round, 67-61
Lost to North Carolina State in regional semifinal, 75-56

1981--Third seed in West Region
Defeated Northeastern in second round, 94-69
Lost to North Carolina in regional semifinal, 61-56

1979--Eighth seed in West Region
Lost to Pepperdine in first round, 92-88 (OT)

1978--Midwest Region
Defeated Missouri in first round, 86-79 (2 OT)
Lost to Notre Dame in regional semifinal, 69-56

1977--West Region
Defeated St. John's in first round, 72-68
Lost to UNLV in regional semifinal, 88-83

1966--West Region
Defeated Pacific in regional semifinal, 83-74
Defeated Oregon State in regional final, 70-64
Lost to Texas-El Paso in National Semifinal, 85-78
Lost to Duke for National Third Place, 79-77

1961--West Region
Defeated Loyola Marymount in regional semifinal, 91-75
Defeated Arizona State in regional final, 88-80
Lost to Cincinnati in National Semifinal, 82-67
Lost to St. Joseph's (PA) for National Third Place, 127-120 (4 OT)

1960--West Region
Defeated Southern California in first round, 80-73
Lost to Oregon in regional semifinal, 65-54
Defeated Santa Clara for regional third place, 89-81

1959--West Region
Lost to California in regional semifinal, 71-53
Lost to Idaho State for regional third place, 71-65

1956--West Region
Defeated Seattle in regional semifinal, 81-72
Lost to San Francisco in regional final, 92-77

1955--West Region
Lost to San Francisco in regional semifinal, 78-59
Defeated Seattle for regional third place, 108-85

1945--Western Regionals
Lost to Oklahoma State in regional semifinal, 62-37
Lost to Oregon for regional third place, 69-66

1944--Western Regionals
Defeated Missouri in regional semifinal, 45-35
Defeated Iowa State in regional final, 40-31
Defeated Dartmouth in National Championship, 42-40 (OT)

Record by Region:
In East: 0-0 (.000)
In South/Southeast: 2-1 (.667) > In Midwest: 3-3 (.500)
In West: 25-20 (.556)

Record by Seed:
As a 2nd seed: 3-2 (.600)
As a 3rd seed: 6-2 (.750)
As a 4th seed: 5-3 (.625)
As an 8th seed: 1-2 (.333)
As a 10th seed: 1-1 (.500)
As a 14th seed: 0-1 (.000)


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