The numbers show Ute BB improvement

The Utah basketball team is on a roll as it meets up with LSU tonight in the Huntsman Center. Even though the Tigers are 12-1, this is a game the Utes should win. LSU hasn’t beaten any teams of note and this will be its first road game.
Even though the Utes have a slightly worse record than a year ago (9-5 compared to 10-4 last year), coach Jim Boylen feels his team is much better and has the numbers to prove it.
The Utes are averaging 35 rebounds per game compared to 30 a year ago and outrebounding their opponents by nearly five per game.
The Utes are holding opponents to 39.7 percent shooting from the field compared to 43.1 percent last year.
And the biggest stat, according to Boylen — the Utes have attempted 107 more free throws than a year ago at this point.
“We wanted to be able to drive the ball more, be more aggressive, get fouled in transition and get fouled in the half court and I think we?ve improved that,” Boylen said.
The fact that the Utes are making 77.2 percent of their free throw attempts, tops in the Mountain West Conference and 9th in the country, makes that stat even more significant.