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There was little in the way of expectations that the Utah basketball team would actually be good this season. All but four players departed from last year's squad, which itself was so lousy that the Utes fired their coach. Despite those issues, Larry Krystkowiak vowed in the preseason that his team would surprise some people.
Well, they have. They're not just bad; they are setting records for being bad.
Eight games into the season the Utes are 1-7 and just one of 17 teams without a win over a fellow Division 1 school. They are ranked 326th out of 345 programs in the Sagarin ratings, rank at or near the bottom of the Pac-12 in every statistical category and, one expert says, they could be the worst power conference team. Ever.
"It's kind of like being diagnosed with cancer," said former Utah assistant and interim coach Joe Cravens, now a television analyst. "No one ever thinks it can happen to you."
The Utes host Brigham Young on Saturday, but the team's record for the worst start in team history is already secured and the program's worst-ever record is growing more likely with each blowout.
Ken Pomeroy, the ratings guru who lives in Salt Lake City, attended Wednesday's 81-50 loss to Cal State Fullerton, a team picked to finish in the middle of the Big West, and contemplated walking out. It ended up the worst Utah loss in the 42-year history of the Huntsman Center.
"There's a pretty strong case that they're the worst power conference team ever, just based on that fact alone," Pomeroy said.
The Utes rank 305th in Pomeroy's ranking on his popular website kenpom.com. They are No. 313 in RPI rankings. Thirteen years after appearing in a Final Four and less than three years removed from its last NCAA Tournament appearance, Utah now finds itself lumped in with programs such as New Jersey Tech (3-5), which is ranked two spots ahead of the Utes by Sagarin and went nearly two years without a victory between 2007 and 2009.
Other peer programs? Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (1-6) and Longwood (2-6), which became Division I in 2007.
The Utes' only win came by three points against NAIA San Diego Christian, which lost three other games to D-I opponents — by an average of 24 points — and is now just 2-8. That game does not count in ratings systems because it came against an NAIA opponent.
"If you did include it," Pomeroy said, "it would pretty much confirm that Utah is much worse than any other power conference team."
The Utes have lost just once by fewer than 10 points (a six-point defeat to Montana State), and many of the losses have come against teams that know something about losing.
Four days after walloping the Utes by 30, Fresno State lost by seven at Colorado. The Buffs, in turn, were picked in the preseason media poll to finish in a 10th-place tie in the Pac-12.
Before beating the Utes, Fullerton already had lost games to Houston Baptist (ranked No. 333 by Pomeroy, No. 303 by Sagarin) and Cal State Bakersfield.
Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak doesn't disagree that the Utes have been the nation's worst power conference team — so far, anyway.
"If I had to pick a team to play in the top six conferences, I'd pick Utah," Krystkowiak said. "We haven't put it together."
The Utes, historically the nation's 12th-winningest men's basketball program, could threaten what Pomeroy considers the record for futility by a major-conference team. In 1980-81, Georgia Tech went 4-21 in its third year in the Atlantic Coast Conference and did not beat a Division I team.
Pomeroy, however, said he expects the Utes to steal a couple of wins this season. Next week's home game against Idaho State will likely be the only remaining time they will be favored.
"You come walking away from it thinking this team's pretty bad," Pomeroy said, "and you can't help feeling some empathy for all those involved."
BYU at Utah
P At Huntsman Center
Tipoff • Noon
TV • ROOT
Radio • 700 AM, 1160 AM, 102.7 FM, Sirius XM 143
Records • Utah 1-7; BYU 7-2
Series record • BYU 127-125
Last meeting • BYU 72-59 (Feb. 12, 2011)
About the Utes • The Utes committed a season-low six turnovers in their 81-50 loss to Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday. … Senior point guard Josh "Jiggy" Watkins returns to the team after serving a one-game suspension against the Titans. … After missing the first two games with injuries, guard Chris Hines has averaged 10 points per game and is their best perimeter threat, making 11 3-pointers in the past three games.
About the Cougars • Senior Noah Hartsock has emerged as their most consistent player, averaging 17.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in all nine games and is coming off back-to-back double-doubles against Oregon and Weber State. … Freshman Nate Austin has scored 35 points off the bench in his past three games. … They lead the WCC in eight categories and are second in three.