No. 17 Wisconsin | No. 19 LSU | Full List
No. 18: UTAH UTES
Last Season: 26-9, 13-5 Pac-12
College basketball is a guard's game, but having a big man still matters. And Utes 7-footer Jakob Poeltl is arguably the best returning center in the nation.
Poeltl could have easily inked a seven-figure deal with an NBA team, but instead he returned for his sophomore year. Poeltl will lead the task of keeping the Utes trending upward under coach Larry Krystkowiak. He'll be joined by fellow returning starters Jordan Loveridge (forward) and Brandon Taylor (guard), who both averaged double figures last season.
Utah has increased its win total in each of Krystkowiak's first four years at the helm, culminating last season in its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2005. With Poeltl as their anchor, the Utes should be contending to get at least that far in the tournament again. --C.L. Brown
Best Case: Last season, Utah had a first-rounder in Delon Wright and great balance. But the Utes were new on the scene of teams expected to win. After facing Duke, Utah now has some big-time experience. It now knows what it takes. The Utes were one of only four teams to rank in the top 10 in the nation in both offensive and defensive efficiency, in part because of excellent 3-point shooting (40 percent, good for second in the country). The other three were Duke, Arizona and Villanova. Utah has Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor as its top returning scorers, and Jakob Poeltl should be among the best and most effective big men in the country. Last year, Utah ranked eighth in the nation in block percentage and ninth in overall defensive rating. Utah should be in a fight for the Pac-12 with Cal and Arizona, and should strive for the second weekend.
Worst Case: The Utes don't have a "go-to" leader and playmaker after losing Delon Wright. He was the heart and soul of last season's team, and if no one can step into that void, the Utes could take a step back. I doubt that will happen. Utah will be closer to best case than worst case.
"Delon Wright was the heart of that team and made them go. How do they replace him and who is the guy with the ball in his hands with the game on the line? I like their frontcourt a lot with [Jakob] Poeltl, Brekkott Chapman and Kyle Kuzma. It's as good as there is in the Pac-12, but they'll go as far as their guard play will take them."
No. 17 Wisconsin | No. 19 LSU | Full List
