BYU Basketball: A Preview Of The Runnin’ Utes

4. 3-point shooting 

Nov 21, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes forward Jordan Loveridge (21) warms up prior to the game against the UC Riverside Highlanders at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

I wouldn’t say the Utes are a bad shooting team from three, but they aren’t the kind of team that is going to be able to hit 20 threes in a game. They will hit open shots and are really good at finding shooters in the corners, but I wouldn’t consider them a three point shooting team like BYU. Loveridge, their best three point shooter, will not play in this game due to a knee injury. Brandon Taylor and Dekari Tucker are the only other players that I think can be a consistent three point threat. Tucker could live in the corner. His team can find him and he knocks them down. Taylor can create his own and is the only player on Utah’s roster that can pull up off the dribble from three and knock one down. Wright and Chapman can hit threes if they are open and their feet are set, but they won’t make (or even shoot) many if a hand is in their face.

It is imperative that BYU doesn’t let anybody on the Utes go crazy from behind the arc. Tucker in the corner is a scary thought for me.