Again, Boylen shows he isn't afraid to schedule tough.
Date
Opponent / Event
Location
Time / Result
11/07/09
vs. Findlay (exhibition)
Salt Lake City
TBA
11/13/09
vs. Idaho
Salt Lake City
TBA
11/18/09
vs. Utah State
Salt Lake City
TBA
Las Vegas Invitational
11/21/09
vs. Southern University
Salt Lake City
TBA
11/24/09
vs. Seattle University
Salt Lake City
TBA
11/27/09
Bradley/Illinois/Oklahoma State
Las Vegas, Nev.
TBA
11/28/09
Bradley/Illinois/Oklahoma State
Las Vegas, Nev.
TBA
12/02/09
at Weber State
Ogden, Utah
TBA
12/05/09
vs. Idaho State
Salt Lake City
TBA
12/09/09
vs. Michigan
Salt Lake City
TBA
12/12/09
vs. Oklahoma
Salt Lake City
TBA
MWC/MVC Challenge
12/19/09
vs. Illinois State
Salt Lake City
TBA
12/23/09
at Pepperdine
Malibu, Calif.
TBA
12/29/09
vs. Texas-San Antonio
Salt Lake City
TBA
01/02/10
at LSU
Baton Rouge, La.
TBA
Not much to complain about with this schedule, especially the home slate.
Michigan and Oklahoma are the key home games. The Sooners were a force last year and soundly beat the Utes in Normon when the two met. They won't be nearly as powerful, but Utah won't be nearly as good as they were last year, as well, so it might balance out.
Michigan was a tournament team and is slowly rebuilding to its early 90s days.
And of course, LSU won the SEC last year and will play the Utes in Baton Rouge in early 2010.
Other than those games, there will be a tournament in Vegas, which could pit Utah against Oklahoma State and Illinois, two solid Power Conference programs.
So, as it was last year, if the Utes can push 20-wins, their RPI just might be enough to get them into the tournament. But with less talent, less experience and more questions, will they be able to do that?
We'll see.
The conference slate will be released later this summer.