Utah Basketball - Utes season ends in ironic fashion

They never shook those road woes.

Through 10 games away from the Huntsman Center, close losses, blown leads and traumatic endings, Utah basketball somehow managed to throw almost all of those attributes into one grand finale - a 70-58 defeat to St. Mary's in Tuesday's NIT first round.

You want ugly? All you had to do was look at Utah play basketball at the offensive end. You want traumatic? St. Mary's somehow took this game over with a 25-6 run towards the end of the game. You want a blown lead? The Utes led 30-17 at one point and were very much in control.

Utah went 21-12 this season, won nine games in the Pac-12, played Arizona tough twice and made a postseason tournament. But the Utes ended the year on a sour note. That simply can't be doubted - or ignored.

They were smoked by Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament. Tuesday, they lost to a team they had no business losing to. As a result, Utah has a lot to think about going into the postseason, and a lot of decisions to make.

Still, the year put together by Larry Krystkowiak has to be looked upon as a positive one. But clearly, there's a long way yet to go.

Tony Jones