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Portland, Ore.
Andy Hill stood in a hallway of the Moda Center, pausing after Utah's practice Friday afternoon. That session concluded the Utes' week of scrambling to prepare for two unfamiliar opponents in the NCAA Tournament, a major challenge for the assistant coaches.
They tackle a huge volume of work in a short time frame, driven by the recognition that there's nothing they would rather be doing in March. In Hill's case, immersing himself in his job is a coping strategy, following the cancer-related death of his father, Rick, on Feb. 14.
That's among the reasons he desperately wants the Utes to keep playing beyond Saturday night's game with Georgetown in the round of 32.
"I'm a little fearful once it comes to an end, because it's been an emotional deal, a roller coaster," Hill said, as tears welled in his eyes.
Utah's players have "RH" stitched on their jersey collars, with coach Larry Krystkowiak and the team having dedicated their season to Rick Hill, after his cancer diagnosis in August. They remember how he managed to attend a Jan. 4 game vs. UCLA. He loved being around the program after retiring and moving from northern Idaho to Salt Lake City with his wife, Denise.
And the Utes clearly respect the work their coaches do to prepare them. "They've done a good job all year, regardless of the time limit we have," said forward Jordan Loveridge. "So they'll have us ready."
As of Thursday night, after Utah's win over Stephen F. Austin, Krystkowiak said he would "put our assistant coaches up with anybody in America, with getting them team ready." By Friday afternoon, he had expanded that basis of comparison to "anybody on the planet." Krystkowiak also marveled about how his players processed the information in Friday's practice, and Hill felt rewarded by their response to the scouting report.
"Our guys pay attention and want to learn," he said, "so it really helps when you put in all the prep time and take it to them, and they're willing to absorb it."
When it comes to preparing for tournament games, cheating is required. Assistant coach DeMarlo Slocum was assigned to get a head start on Georgetown, just in case the Hoyas became Utah's opponent. Hill, Slocum and Tommy Connor all watched about three-fourths of Georgetown's win over Eastern Washington late Thursday, then launched themselves into several game films.
"Little sleep. Lots of video," Connor said, smiling. "Sometimes, you can probably have too much at your disposal. … That's where you have to be a little bit careful. We do spend a lot of time at it, and our team does get overloaded at times, but it has helped us."
Having too much information beats scrambling for any insights, as Connor formerly was forced to do as Westminster College's coach, competing almost annually in the NAIA Tournament. "We didn't have the $150,000 budget for technology," he said wryly. Some film was available, but that process focused more on live scouting of tournament play, with an even quicker turnaround between games.
Connor's Westminster experience came between his stints at Utah. In the mid-1990s, Connor remembers ordering VHS tapes, shipped from a scouting service. Fast-forward to Selection Sunday 2015, when the Utes had three of Stephen F. Austin's games available within two hours of the bracket announcement.
Working for Rick Majerus, known for his detailed scouting, "We were a little ahead of the game," Connor said. "Today, everyone pretty much prepares pretty well."
Utah's staff definitely succeeded Thursday. The Utes held SFA to 50 points and 33.3-percent shooting from the field, reflecting good preparation. Now comes Georgetown, presenting different issues.
And next week, Hill hopes to be worrying about Duke in the Sweet 16. Connor, who lost a brother last season, has admired his colleague's work during such difficult times.
"He's handled it so well, with great strength," Connor said. "Having a profession like ours helps … because you have a team, you have a support system, you have a family — separate from your own."
Rick Hill once was a graduate assistant to Connor's father, Bus, at Boise State, and became close to Krystkowiak when Andy Hill worked for him at Montana. Nobody would have enjoyed this weekend in Portland any more.
"Just like Tommy's dad, this what they live for," Andy Hill said. "So I wish he was here with me. But I know he is, in spirit."
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