GAME NOTES: Undefeated against the Anteaters of UC Irvine all-time, the Utah Utes try to keep their perfect record intact this afternoon as the squads collide in a non-conference affair at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. When last these teams faced off it was 10 years ago in Utah, with the Utes capturing a lopsided 83-45 victory to move to a perfect 7-0 versus Irvine. A lot has happened since then of course, and still much has remained the same. The Runnin' Utes recently snapped a two-game slide on Wednesday night thanks to a 72-52 win over Weber State on the road. The victory also pushed Utah back above .500 on the young season. As for the Anteaters, they posted two wins in their first three games of 2007-08, but since that 19-point triumph over another program from the Beehive State (Utah State), the squad has fallen in three consecutive decisions. The most recent of those setbacks came last Sunday during the Anaheim Classic in a meeting with San Diego, the final going out as a 60-57 decision. UC Irvine has yet to play a team on its own floor and has yet to win away from home either.

All you need to know is that UC Irvine made just 7-of-8 shots at the free-throw line in the final game of the Anaheim Tournament and San Diego missed on just three of 26 opportunities to seal the decision. Trying to keep the Anteaters on point were Chuma Awaji and Patrick Sanders who tallied 16 and 13 points, respectively, but it simply wasn't enough to combat 17 turnovers and 36.2 percent shooting from the field. After six games, the Anteaters have fallen into a dead tie with opponents in terms of points scored, both averaging 67.0 ppg. However, with UC Irvine making good on an impressive 83.1 percent at the free-throw line, one would think there would be better production waiting to be mined. Sanders leads the group with his 12.8 ppg as the only double-digit scorer and yet his 21 turnovers make his mere five assists stand out rather awkwardly.

Utah led by just six points at the break versus the Wildcats, but then the Utes ran wild with an incredible 72 percent from the field, 5-of-6 beyond the arc and a perfect 4-of-4 at the free-throw line to capture the 20-point decision at the Dee Events Center in Ogden. Shaun Green went back to his roots, the ones that dragged him out beyond the arc where he could convert 6-of-10 attempts, to leave him with 18 points, followed by Luke Nevill with 16 points. Johnnie Bryant came off the bench for his 12 points and four assists, while Tyler Kepkay checked in with 10 points. Over the course of five games, the Utes have had a different high scorer in each and every one. But no matter how it shakes out, the fact is Nevill is at the top of the list right now with his 14.0 ppg and is also first with close to seven rebounds per contest. Coming off the bench exclusively, Bryant is responsible for 57.8 percent shooting from the field, including 10-of-21 (.476) beyond the arc to come away with 13.8 ppg.

Nevill can take care of the inside for the Utes, so it is just a matter of Green getting his hands on the rock while whipping around the perimeter where he can do the most damage in a victory for the Utes.