Berkeley, Calif. • When the new year began and Utah entered the Pac-12 season, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index projected a 6-12 conference record for the Utes.
Picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12, and having performed below that expectation in November and December, the Utes (11-8, 5-2) are tied with USC for second place in the conference. Utah is guaranteed to finish the first half of the league season with a winning record.
The Utes' winning streak is a function of a favorable schedule, with victories over four teams — Washington State, Colorado, Stanford and California — that have a combined 6-23 conference record.