expected anything of Utah for most of the last decade. As I would say with any team who has done no more than lose by double digits in round 1 of the NIT, we'll see. Time and again teams choke during the big games the first few times they are there. As I lifelong fan of PAC-12 basketball, I watched an Arizona team accustomed to success and big games roll in the PAC-12 quarters last year, while Utah felt the gravity of the moment, and knew that their hail-mary chances of an NCAA tournament invite would be bolstered big time by a win over Arizona (they would have had to win at least 1 more game to have a true at-large chance, but that's a moot point). 71-39 made it look closer than it was. Utah completely choked.

IIRC, the Utes 2 losses to Arizona in the regular season were close, and then they were a no show when it counted most. Again in the NIT, Utah had their first real postseason experience, and they were in a decent road atmosphere. They faltered down the stretch, while SMC, who has been there before, kept it together enough to advance. Utah was probably better than they showed in their final act(s) of 2013-14.