The Utah Utes look to continue a perfect start whey play Tuesday in Salt Lake City against Queens University, in just its third season of Division I basketball.
Utah (2-0) not only has opened the season with a pair of wins, but the Utes are hitting a bevy of 3-point shots. Utah drained 19 3-pointers in each of its first two games, a 100-59 blowout of Alcorn State and a 98-63 rout of Central Arkansas.
“I’m proud of how we’ve been able to adapt and adjust to get through these two games,” Utes coach Craig Smith said. “It feels like we’re very connected on both sides and … we’ve clearly started communicating at a much higher level as a team.”
The Utes are leading the nation in 3-point makes per game as well as 3-point attempts per game (44.0) and are 17th nationally in scoring (99 ppg).
In the Central Arkansas win, guard Gabe Madsen eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his Utah career. Madsen is averaging 26 points per game in the young season. His twin brother, Mason, a transfer from Boston College, is adding 15.0 ppg.
Queens (2-0) is also off to a strong start. Coach Grant Leonard’s Royals were picked ninth in the preseason poll of the Atlantic Sun, which is a 12-team league. Their leading scorer is guard Asjon Anderson at 16 ppg.
Queens is 0-3 all-time against power conference foes, with defeats against Nebraska, Clemson and Duke.
Leonard has spoken positively of his young team’s offensive execution.
“This year, we’re way far ahead of where we’ve been in years past,” he said. “But I think it’s just because we’re learning to do it better.”
Queens will travel to BYU for a second game in two days on Wednesday. Utah’s next matchup will be against Mississippi State on Sunday in the Mid-South Showdown at Southaven, Miss.
–Field Level Media
