This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Last year, the Utah men's basketball game couldn't win a road game.

They sure aren't wasting any time with this new group of guys.

OK, so an 89-77 victory over Division II Jacarei on Monday in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, doesn't count in the standings, and the Utes still haven't won a road game in a year-and-a-half, but it's a good start for Utah on its 10-day tour of Brazil.

Leading the way for Utah, fitting, was junior college transfer Renan Lenz, who is from Brazil. He scored 18 points, while freshman Jordan Loveridge added 12 and grabbed nine rebounds.

The Utes will play three more games against Brazilian squads, the next one being Tuesday.

The trip has been billed by second-year coach Larry Krystkowiak as an opportunity to get a head start on the season. After finishing 6-25 last year, the Utes return just two scholarship players from their active roster. Four games in Brazil, as well as 20 additional practice days as a side benefit of a foreign trip, should go a long way toward giving the team a leg up when training camp opens in October.

The Utes return to the United States on Aug. 15.