Runnin’ Utes Big Man Branden Carlson Part Of Starting Five Against BYU
Dec 9, 2023, 4:58 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah got some good news ahead of taking on rival BYU on Saturday as big man Branden Carlson was cleared to play.
Utah head coach Craig Smith was still unsure of Carlson’s status as of Friday morning and told the media they would know more after their practice following his availability.
“I don’t know yet,” Smith said. “(Branden Carlson) didn’t really do anything yesterday. We’ll see how things go at practice today.”
Obviously, things worked out in Utah’s favor as Carlson is part of the Utes’ starting five.
Tonight’s Starting ✋ pic.twitter.com/Zik6r3ifOE
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) December 9, 2023
Craig Smith Highly Complimentary Of BYU Ahead Of Big Rivalry Game
Smith compared the No. 14 BYU Cougars to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. LA made eight final appearances in the 80s and is widely considered one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
“(BYU) looks really good,” Smith said. “Their numbers are really, really high all the way across the board. They kind of remind you of the Lakers of the 80s with Magic (Johnson, (James) Worthy, and Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). They put a lot of pressure on you and play through the pass.”
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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