This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It was, hands-down, the best halftime show of the season.
As part of the U.'s agreement to help honor and educate about the Ute Tribe, Utah invited the Red Spirit drum group and Ute Tribe adult and youth dancers to perform during the break of the Runnin' Utes' meeting with UC Riverside.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth a minute of your time:
The Ute Indian Tribe performs at halftime for men's basketball "Ute Proud" game. http://t.co/93O1TZjPkB
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) November 22, 2014Many fans eschewed a run to concessions and were glued to their seats, except when they stood to give an ovation.
The next day, the tribe performed and was honored during the football team's game against Arizona.
The U. has been in search of new, meaningful traditions that are worthy of the Pac-12 conference.
This one is.
FOOTBALL • From slim to none went Utah's chances of winning its first Pac-12 South Division title, or one of the top bowls in the Pac-12 pecking order. And the way it happened — there are not many positives to take from Utah's 42-10 loss to No. 12 Arizona. Still, Utah is 7-4, and has a chance to finish above .500 in Pac-12 play for the first time with a win against Colorado, and they're favored by 10 against the Buffs in Boulder.
Our coverage (or that which is not now totally outdated):
• Utah's run defense — historically one of the best around — concedes 298 yards
ON DECK • at Colorado, 11 a.m. MT in Boulder, Colo.
MEN'S BASKETBALL • Utah's much-anticipated road opener wasn't pretty — both teams combined for just 35 points in the first half — but in retrospect, a 4-point loss on the road to the nation's 16th-ranked team doesn't look so ugly. The Aztecs held Cal State Bakersfield to just 27 points later in the week, and a youth-infused Utah team seemed much more comfortable in its newly installed motion offense in a 46-point blowout of UC Riverside. This week: Three more opportunities to tune up before road games against BYU, No. 5 Kansas and UNLV.
Our coverage (or that which is not now totally outdated):
ON DECK • vs. Texas-Pan American, 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Huntsman Center; vs. North Dakota, 8 p.m. Friday at the Huntsman Center; vs. Alabama State, 7 p.m. Saturday at the Huntsman Center
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL • In road losses at Creighton and No. 16 Nebraska, Utah struggled shooting (40 percent and 28 percent, respectively), in ball security (16 turnovers in both) and generating turnovers (two and seven). Senior Taryn Wicijowski and true freshman Tanaeya Boclair each scored 14 against the Bluejays, and sophomore Malia Nawahine scored 14 to lead the Utes against the Cornhuskers. Sophomore Paige Crozon had nine points and six boards in both contests.
ON DECK • at Creighton, Thursday at 8:05 p.m. in Omaha, Neb.; at No. 16 Nebraksa, Sunday at 2 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL • Utah's four-match win streak came to an end in straight sets in Palo Alto, with the No. 1 Cardinal doing to Utah what they did to 35 straight previous regular-season opponents, but Utah beat Cal in four sets on Sunday for their first Pac-12 road victory and a season sweep of the Golden Bears. Earlier in the week, head coach Beth Launiere talked about her team's remarkable turnaround and the once-fantastical possibility of the Utes securing a bid in the NCAA tournament.
ON DECK • vs. No. 13 Oregon, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Huntsman Center; vs. No. 18 Colorado, noon Friday at the Huntsman Center
WOMEN'S SOCCER • Senior defender Sarah Duncan and junior defender Megan Trabert were named to the Pac-12's All-Academic first team. Other honorees included Katie Rigby (second team) and honorable mentions Avery Jenkins, Baylee Nielsen, Jill Robison, Nykell Seymour, Taylor Slattery, Katie Taylor and Cabria Turang.
ON DECK • Season over
SWIMMING AND DIVING • Sophomore Amanda Casillas (fourth on platform, ninth on 1-meter) and junior Jacob Crayne (first on 1-meter, second on 3-meter and platform) led a strong three-day meet for the Ute divers at the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta.
ON DECK • at Texas Invitationa, Dec. 4-6 in Austin, Texas
WOMEN'S TENNIS • Utah announced the signings of Davis High's Brianna Turley (66-0 in high school singles), Lone Peak's Taylor Calton and Laguna Niguel, Calif.'s Margo Pletcher. Read more about them here.
ON DECK • Fall season over
GYMNASTICS • Utah did not compete this week.
ON DECK • Red Rocks Preview, Dec. 12 at the Huntsman Center
— Matthew Piper
mpiper@sltrib.com
Twitter: @matthew_piper