Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak always says he wants his basketball teams to improve throughout the season. His continual emphasis of that subject has created something of a myth about his program.
The Utes don't always get better, in terms of wins and losses. Judging by their two nine-game segments of the Pac-12 schedule, the Utes have posted an improved record in the second halves of four of Krystkowiak's previous seven conference seasons. The record shows an average bump of 0.42 wins in the second half of Pac-12 play, and only once has Utah made a significant move.
In 2013-14, Krystkowiak’s third season — the sophomore years of Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor and the junior year for Delon Wright as a junior college transfer — the Utes went from 3-6 to 6-3 in the second half, finishing one game out of a five-way tie for third place and winning a first-round game in the Pac-12 tournament as a No.