The Utah Runnin’ Utes will have plenty of Quad 1 opportunities when they — after being picked to finish last in the Big 12 — start conference play at the end of the month.
Before nonconference action is over, though, Utah has one last shot to add a victory that could count in the Quad 1 category by year’s end.
That comes Saturday, when the Utes face Iowa in a neutral-site matchup at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (4 p.m. MST, Big Ten Network).
Utah (8-2) is currently No. 59 in the NCAA’s NET rankings , while Iowa (8-3) is No. 55. A neutral-site opponent is considered Quad 1 if it is ranked in the top 50, and that really just matters in March when the NCAA tournament field is unveiled.
It’s foreseeable, then, that if the Utes can beat the Hawkeyes, there’s a solid chance that could be a Quad 1 win for Utah.
It comes at an optimal time, in terms of player availability — this is the first time Utah will face a higher-ranked opponent with its full arsenal of players available that have had multiple weeks playing together.