Sedrick Barefield has now played in 18 games in his career, and he's scored in double-digits only five times.
And yet, the sophomore guard carries a 9.4 scoring average ? a reflection of the monster 35-point game he had in only his second contest coming off the bench. He hasn't scored half that many points in any game since.
Yes, it's unusual, he acknowledged. But in all the games since, he reasoned, Utah (17-9, 8-6 Pac-12) hasn't needed him to go off on offense.
"In that game, [Kyle Kuzma] was down and I was kind of called upon to step up to score more," Barefield said. "But I think our team is best when everybody is clicking on all cylinders, so my job is to get everybody going."
Barefield's recognition of that role was one of the factors in his start on Thursday night in a 79-61 loss to Oregon, his first start since December. Coach Larry Krystkowiak said he's looking for a point guard who can be more vocal and more of a floor general. And while he has a way to go, Barefield is improving.
Since getting only three multi-assist games in the first 10 Pac-12 contests, he's had multiple assists in four games in a row, playing 19 minutes or more in each. Krystkowiak has also asked him to improve finishing plays ? when he arrived he had a tendency to watch offense unfold rather than seeking position in case he had to make a play. Slowly over the course of the season, he's become more and more engaged.
"We're not expecting him to score 35 every night, but it can't be up and down," Krystkowiak said. "You start focusing in on game plans, and bringing that stuff more consistently, I think some of those numbers even out."
The Utes themselves are looking to finish out strong, starting Sunday afternoon in Corvallis, Ore., against a last-place Oregon State team.
While losing to Oregon a ninth straight time stung, the Utes are remaining positive about it. Krystkowiak said he was trying to be "realistic" about how his team performed without Kuzma, who had to sit out with a sprained ankle. As the junior forward aims for his return on Sunday, the Utes believe they can win out and still clinch the fourth spot in the Pac-12 (and a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament).
Cal fell to Stanford on Friday night, a big break for the Utes as they hunt for an edge in the standings. When asked if he's been watching other Pac-12 teams the Utes are chasing in the standings, Krystkowiak responded: "Hell yeah, why not?
"Until we're mathematically eliminated from the fourth spot, I remain optimistic," he said. "We're at the point where we have four games to go, and it's more fun to watch. It's like watching a pennant race."
Assuming Utah can avoid a shocking upset in Corvallis ? the Beavers are the only Power 5 team without a conference win this year and losers of 14 straight ? the path becomes clearer. The Utes have to return to the road, going to Boulder next week for Colorado, but get a shot at Cal, currently sitting in fourth, at the Huntsman Center, in the final week of the regular season.
The loss in Eugene didn't leave anyone feeling good. But the Utes, Barefield said, continue to look ahead.
"It's easy to get low after a loss like that, but what choice do you have but to go on?" he said. "We try to win every game one practice at a time, one play at a time, one game at a time."
And yet, the sophomore guard carries a 9.4 scoring average ? a reflection of the monster 35-point game he had in only his second contest coming off the bench. He hasn't scored half that many points in any game since.
Yes, it's unusual, he acknowledged. But in all the games since, he reasoned, Utah (17-9, 8-6 Pac-12) hasn't needed him to go off on offense.
"In that game, [Kyle Kuzma] was down and I was kind of called upon to step up to score more," Barefield said. "But I think our team is best when everybody is clicking on all cylinders, so my job is to get everybody going."
Barefield's recognition of that role was one of the factors in his start on Thursday night in a 79-61 loss to Oregon, his first start since December. Coach Larry Krystkowiak said he's looking for a point guard who can be more vocal and more of a floor general. And while he has a way to go, Barefield is improving.
Since getting only three multi-assist games in the first 10 Pac-12 contests, he's had multiple assists in four games in a row, playing 19 minutes or more in each. Krystkowiak has also asked him to improve finishing plays ? when he arrived he had a tendency to watch offense unfold rather than seeking position in case he had to make a play. Slowly over the course of the season, he's become more and more engaged.
"We're not expecting him to score 35 every night, but it can't be up and down," Krystkowiak said. "You start focusing in on game plans, and bringing that stuff more consistently, I think some of those numbers even out."
The Utes themselves are looking to finish out strong, starting Sunday afternoon in Corvallis, Ore., against a last-place Oregon State team.
While losing to Oregon a ninth straight time stung, the Utes are remaining positive about it. Krystkowiak said he was trying to be "realistic" about how his team performed without Kuzma, who had to sit out with a sprained ankle. As the junior forward aims for his return on Sunday, the Utes believe they can win out and still clinch the fourth spot in the Pac-12 (and a first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament).
Cal fell to Stanford on Friday night, a big break for the Utes as they hunt for an edge in the standings. When asked if he's been watching other Pac-12 teams the Utes are chasing in the standings, Krystkowiak responded: "Hell yeah, why not?
"Until we're mathematically eliminated from the fourth spot, I remain optimistic," he said. "We're at the point where we have four games to go, and it's more fun to watch. It's like watching a pennant race."
Assuming Utah can avoid a shocking upset in Corvallis ? the Beavers are the only Power 5 team without a conference win this year and losers of 14 straight ? the path becomes clearer. The Utes have to return to the road, going to Boulder next week for Colorado, but get a shot at Cal, currently sitting in fourth, at the Huntsman Center, in the final week of the regular season.
The loss in Eugene didn't leave anyone feeling good. But the Utes, Barefield said, continue to look ahead.
"It's easy to get low after a loss like that, but what choice do you have but to go on?" he said. "We try to win every game one practice at a time, one play at a time, one game at a time."
