KANSAS CITY — It's no secret there are questions surrounding whether Utah men's basketball will be competitive in its first season in the Big 12 Conference.
The Runnin' Utes were picked to finish last in the league's preseason coaches poll — and some of the low expectations can be attributed to the fact Utah was hit hard by losses to the transfer portal this past offseason.
"We've got to go earn the respect. That's the bottom line, is you've got to earn respect and make that happen."
In addition to losing Branden Carlson and Cole Bajema — who exhausted their eligibility — promising talents Deivon Smith and Keba Keita led a group of players who either transferred or ended their time at Utah early after the Runnin' Utes went 22-15 last year and made a run to the NIT semifinals.
Throw in the fact Utah, which has nine new players on its roster this season, is joining what is universally viewed as the toughest conference in the sport — the Big 12 has five teams ranked in the top 10 of the preseason Associated Press poll, a historic first — and it's easy to see why the Utes may be viewed as facing plenty of uphill climbs to finish even in the middle tier of such a difficult conference.
The Utes, behind fourth-year coach Craig Smith , aren't backing away from the challenge.
Smith, who's headed into his 14th year as a head coach at the collegiate level, even hinted that, when his teams have been picked last in conference in the past, they've well surpassed expectations those seasons.
"Two different times we've been picked last at a couple different spots and it's been a great omen for us," Smith said during Big 12 basketball media days Wednesday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
"One year we went to the national tournament and the other year we won the regular-season conference championship. We've got to go earn the respect. That's the bottom line, is you've got to earn respect and make that happen."
When it comes to being physically and mentally prepared for the Big 12, there are a multitude of things for the Runnin' Utes to keep in mind as they prepare for the grind of the Big 12 after spending the past 13 seasons in the Pac-12.
Smith noted the 20-game schedule will have Utah playing in 10 straight weeks. There's no breather once league play begins.
"You're playing two games a week. And so in almost every other league I've been a part of, you might have 20 league games, but you might have one or two weeks where you're playing your travel partners, so to speak, or you have that one game where you do one week, where you just play one game that week," he told the Deseret News.
"The Pac-12 was easy, it was Colorado, but even in the Mountain West (when he coached at Utah State), we had some of that. And in South Dakota (his first head coaching job) we had some of that. So that's the real grind."
Then there are other factors to consider when it comes to being prepared for Big 12 action, from surviving injuries to not shooting the ball well in a stretch, and even the travel, Smith said.
"We have a great sports science team, you got to be smart with that without being soft on them," Smith said about having the team mentally prepared for the grind of Big 12 play. "But then you run into the name recognition stuff, like you lose a tough game, and now all of a sudden you got Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State on the road, or you know, whatever order that is. And so you've got to be able to handle that."
Playing in packed arenas in the Big 12 footprint is also another thing to consider.
"Fans impact winning. Well, the Big 12 has great home courts, it's gonna be really, really difficult, and it's proven that within league play to win on the road. It's always hard to win on the road, but I think it's accentuated in this conference. So you've got to be able to stay with it mentally," Smith said.
Then there's the physicality and mental toughness it takes to compete in the Big 12.
"I know every coach says that in every league there's no easy games, but that's just the facts, and you've got to be ready to go every three days to put your best foot forward," Smith said.
Senior center Lawson Lovering said the team has been preparing on being ready for that physicality over the offseason.
"I think it's definitely a different style of play, and I think coach prepared us," Lovering said. "Practice has been a little bit more different this year than last year, just to adjust to the style of play — more physical, less fouls being called in practice. You might complain a lot about that, but it's going to make us better."
For a group that embraces challenges, like senior guard Gabe Madsen, it's not just gloom and doom heading to the Big 12. There's the excitement of playing in the toughest conference in men's college basketball and the opportunities it will provide.
"It's something you dream about, just playing against the best competition every night. That's what you work for as a kid. And so to be here, it's just exciting," Madsen said.
"... We got a little taste of it last year, we played BYU and Houston, so we got a little taste of the Big 12. But yeah, to be in this league and play the best competition every night, that's what you asked for."
The Utes open the regular season in less than two weeks with a Nov. 4 home game against Alcorn State — that kicks off an 11-game nonconference slate that includes a group of games where Utah will be heavy favorites, as well as a few challenges in contests against Saint Mary's, Mississippi State and Iowa.
Utah then kicks off Big 12 play on Dec. 31 at Baylor, which is ranked No. 8 going into the season, before hosting Texas Tech on Jan. 4 in their league home opener.
The challenge — and opportunity — is one the Utes are welcoming with the season fast approaching.
"We got picked last in the Big 12 and we want to prove people wrong," Lovering said. "We're kind of eager to show that, so right now, I think we're a little anxious and excited to play some real games."
Utah head coach Craig Smith addresses the media during Big 12 men's basketball media day, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. | Charlie Riedel, Associated Press
