Takeaways From Utah’s Loss To UCF
Feb 23, 2025, 5:12 PM | Updated: 5:52 pm
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) drives to the basket during the basketball game between the UCF Knights and the Utah Utes on February 23rd, 2025 at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY—Utah traveled to Florida to take on the UCF Knights and ultimately lost 76-72.
Craig Smith and the Runnin’ Utes fall to 15-12 overall, 7-9 in Big 12 play, and now turn their attention to the Arizona Wildcats.
Turning it over 19 times will never work on the road, and Utah falls 76-72 to UCF. https://t.co/1pA2cSdCNn
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) February 23, 2025
Here are the takeaways from the game…
Utah fumbled away another great opportunity
Utah came into this game fresh off of two big wins, while UCF was on a seven-game losing streak.
Despite the streak, the Knights still gave Utah an opportunity to add a quality win to its resume and, more importantly, to solidify their newfound standard of play.
Unfortunately, yet again, the Utes failed to build upon the momentum previously generated at home and lost in a pretty brutal manner on the road.
The issues that plagued Utah when they started league play continued to be an issue in this one. The Utes gave away a great opportunity, and these missed opportunities might prove too costly for Craig Smith and his program.
Utah’s literal fumbles gave this game away
The Utes jumped out to a 15-4 lead and seemed primed for a strong road performance. Unfortunately, the encouraging start gave way to the Utes’ season-long issue: turnovers.
Utah eclipsed the double-digit threshold with four minutes left in the half and finished the opening period with 12 giveaways.
The Utes did a slightly better job protecting the ball and creating good looks in the second half but still turned it over seven more times to finish with 19 turnovers.
Perhaps the most unfortunate thing is that Utah owned shooting splits of 51/33/80, which are fantastic numbers for this squad.
Utah shot it efficiently enough that if they had eliminated just three or four turnovers, they would probably have won this game.
Most of these were giveaways, not even forced turnovers. Utah threw the ball away multiple times in each half, making careless, thoughtless passes.
It seemed Utah had turned a corner with their last two outings, as they rebounded and protected the ball at a high level. Despite the talk of it being a point of emphasis all season long, Utah has shown little to no improvement in protecting the ball on the road, and that is the most concerning thing now that the game is over.
Big difference off the bench
Utah has normally enjoyed good, consistent production off the bench. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case today. In fact, the bench had a surprisingly poor showing.
The Utes bench totaled just 4 points while turning the ball over 7 times, compared to UCF’s bench, which produced 38 points to just 1 turnover.
Utah, fortunately, was led by good performances from the starters but Utah needs production from the bench.
Goaltending reviews?
Mike Sharavjamts was whistled for goaltending in the first half. During TV replay, it was clear that Sharavjamts blocked the ball before it touched the backboard.
Yet, there was no review, which is interesting as a previous goaltending call in a Utah game was immediately stopped to review before play continued.
Had the play been reviewed and properly called, how would that have changed the game? Regardless, it seems the league needs to provide clarity on goaltending reviews.
Can we get a temperature check on the head coach’s seat?
Coach Smith has put himself under significant pressure as his tenure enters a critical phase. Talk about his and the program’s future is complicated and layered with context.
There are positives, but despite steady improvement year over year, the lack of consistency in the season and missed opportunities at signature wins have jeopardized his job security.
One of the most glaring issues with Smith’s tenure has been his team’s inability to maintain a high level of performance throughout the season. Inconsistent play has become the pattern, which is unfortunate because this team has shown serious potential at times this season.
Moreover, the Utes have squandered several prime opportunities to secure signature wins that could have helped bolster their postseason hopes. Utah has had opportunities to build significant momentum but let the chances slip through its hands, compounded by the issue that Utah has often looked sloppy, if not careless, in these games as well.
Without these quality wins, Utah’s resume is lacking, leaving the Utes outside the NCAA Tournament conversation. With only four Big 12 games left in the regular season, Smith faces increasing pressure to finish the season strong.
The Utes’ lack of consistency and failure to capitalize in key moments are major concerns, and if the trend continues, the temperature on Smith’s seat may hit a breaking point.
UP NEXT – Utah vs Arizona
Utah will wrap up its final two-game road swing of the season with a familiar foe in #19/18 Arizona on Wednesday, Feb. 26, inside McKale Center. Pete Sousa will guide fans through the action while former Cardinal head coach Jerrod Haase serves as the analyst on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. (MST) as the Runnin’ Utes hope to turn things around this season and pick up its first win inside McKale Center since Dec. 6, 1986 (67-67).
