Utah Utes Find Unexpected Stability With Transfer Portal

Anyone with even a small bit of the local college basketball scene knew that big changes were coming in Salt Lake City well before the off season began.

If a new conference in the Big 12 wasn’t enough to advertise the changing of the times for Utah, firing 4^th year head coach, Craig Smith, with only a handful of games left in the season certainly was.

Having last made the NCAA tournament back in the 2015 season, Utah had decided swiftly and aggressively that it was time to buck the trends that had befallen the program.

Eager to restore excitement, fan attendance and hopefully booster participation, Utah went out and hired former home town favorite and NBA coach, Alex Jensen, to lead the Utes into the newest era.

The move was well received and rightfully so, but even the best of moves comes with fallout.

If a team switches coaches, it is common practice in the modern day of college sports to see most of the roster enter the transfer portal as if to keep all options open.

As crazy as it can seem to see players flock to the portal, It makes sense really.

Afterall, these players were brought to their current squad by the man and his staff who was just canned.

Hopes, expectations, promises, all the things they had envisioned with this coach are no longer a reality.

He’s gone, so it makes sense for them to possibly find something else in an effort to establish new relationships and expectations.

So when Smith left and the season came to a 1-5 conclusion it wasn’t overly shocking to see 10 Utes (up to this point) enter the transfer portal.

From major contributors such as Lawson Lovering, Jake Wahlin, Miro Little and Hunter Erickson to players outside of the rotation, the names added up rather quickly.

It instantly becomes the new coaches job to step in and rebuild the program, and sometimes the easiest way to do that is build on preexisting foundations.

Easier said then done, fans were hopeful that Alex Jensen could arrive and retain some of the best parts of this past season.

If that is your hope, the first domino fell today.

Keanu Dawes, the spark plug off the bench this year, was one of the biggest names for Utah to enter the portal days ago on March 29^th.

After sailing the high seas of potential offers and destinations for about 4 days worth, it has been announced per Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, that Dawes has withdrawn from the portal.

This is a win for Utah to get a pivotal piece back to start Alex Jensen’s tenure but an even bigger win for the fans who get to experience Dawes representing their team for another season.

Despite only two starts, Dawes was certainly one of the most valuable Ute’s this season, evident as the teams leader in win shares.

Dawes led the team in total rebounds at 6.4 a night and was by far and away the teams most effective scorer averaging 8.3 points a night on 61.4 % shooting.

His season totals were:

8.3 PPG

18.6 minutes

61.4 FG %

34.3 % from deep on about 1 attempt a game

70 FG % inside the arc

75.6 % free throw shooter on roughly 3 attempts a night

6.4 total rebounds, 4.5 defensive

Keanu finished the regular season by posting 21 points in 38 minutes with 15 rebounds in the conference tournament opening round loss to UCF.

In Utah’s small taste of postseason ball in the brand new “College Basketball Crown” tournament, Dawes played the 2^nd most minutes at 29 piling up a double double with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a loss to Butler.

It was very evident by the close of the season that Dawes had his best basketball ahead of him and fans will be thrilled it will get to take place for the U of U.

Keanu Dawes feels like the type of player who’s about to be unleashed and Alex Jensen now appears to be the one bound to make it happen.

Now with one withdrawn we get to sit back and see if Utah and Alex Jensen will be able to return any of the other former building blocks, or if it will be Dawes with a very new supporting cast.