Stats May Tell One Story, But Utah's Offense Is Struggling

Despite returning four of five starters and sharpshooting guard Alfonso Plummer, Utah was expected to take a step forward this season. But a lack of offensive prowess has the Utes still behind the curve

Depending on how you look at and breakdown the Utah offense as a whole, you will see signs of a unit both struggling on the court yet filled with potential.

On one end the Utes are averaging 69.3 points per game, which ranks 261st in the country and 10th in the Pac-12. Their field goal percentages of 41.9% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc rank 10th and ninth in the conference respectively.

On the other though, Utah is getting plenty of open looks and simply put, the ball isn't going through the hoop. Whether it be a rhythm thing or just a lack of concentration and focus, the Utes offense is in need of some change.

“We are on the right path,” sophomore point guard Rylan Jones said following Utah's 64-46 loss to USC on Saturday. "We were getting good looks, we just missed them. We just have to find our rhythm on offense, get in a groove, see a couple go in, and I think that will kick off some wins.”

According to head coach Larry Krystkowiak, revamping the entire Utah offense would be a gross injustice given what the stats would tell. A self-described numbers man, Krystkowiak believes that the Utes are a lot closer to offensive success than what this past weekends' defeats would tell.

“We don’t expect one person to carry the load,” Krystkowiak said postgame against USC. “I would love to have a team that has five guys in double figures. And we have got plenty of opportunities for guys to score points. I am comfortable that that is going to take care of itself.”

Shooting guard Alfonso Plummer is leading the way with 14.7 points per game while forward Timmy Allen is second with 14.3 points per game. But they're the only two players in double figures as Mikael Jantunen, Rylan Jones and Pelle Larsson are the next leading scorers, averaging between 8.7 and 7.3 points per game.

Plummer is one of the top shooters in the Pac-12, having set the record for most made three-pointers in game with 11 last year. Knocking down 36.7% of his three-pointers this season, his 2.6 made three-pointers per game ranks second in the conference. 

His ability to stretch the floor from anywhere on the court puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses, which in theory should open things up for Allen, Jantunen, Branden Carlson and Riley Battin down in the paint. 

Yet that hasn't happened.

Allen is knocking down just 39.8% of his team-high 93 attempts on the season, while Battin and Carlson are shooting at 29.3% and 46.5% clips from the field. Their inability to take advantage of defenses constantly chasing Plummer must change if the Utes want to move forward.

The Utes often become stagnant on offense and settle for isolation ball. The only problem is that they lack athleticism and don't have the finishing ability to thrive in this style, as Plummer is often viewed as the only player who can create his own shot.

But according to Krystkowiak, this is a unit that can turn things around a lot quicker than expected. 

"The one thing I know about this team is that they can hit shots. ... I've seen them do it," Krystkowiak said on Monday's conference call.

Utah is at its best when there's constant movement and screens setting up shooters, when the ball can swing from side to side without being put on the floor. It's during these times that the Utes become extremely difficult to guard and with the defense out of position, open buckets are easy to come by.

While they rank as one of the worst teams in terms of points per game and effective field goal percentage, Utah ranks No. 67 in the nation in terms of offensive efficiency. That means that the Utes continuously get quality looks but just can't put the ball in the hoop. 

The stats may speak to an offense that just needs to find a rhythm and spark that allows them to thrive moving forward. But for now, the results are telling of a team that's on the verge of dropping considerably in conference standings if changes aren't made. 

If Krystkowiak is to be believed and this team can turn around their offensive woes, then it better happen quick as the Utes are set to face the Oregon and Bay Area schools over the next two weeks. 

Going 2-2 is expected but if the offense can perform towards the level of the defense, it's very likely Utah can go 3-1 or 4-0 over that stretch and climb the conference standings.

“Look, there are no consolation prizes, but in my mind we are in a one-possession game with UCLA and for all purposes in my mind, the same thing goes here against USC,” Krystkowiak said. “We were real competitive on the road and we will have to clean it up this week. Like I said before, I am looking very much forward.”

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