Viewer’s guide: Who to watch for in the Runnin’ Utes exhibition game, and beyond

If many of the names on this year’s Utah men’s basketball roster don’t sound familiar to even the most ardent Utes fans, there’s a good reason.
The Runnin’ Utes’ roster has undergone a major overhaul since the end of last season, when Utah finished the year 22-15 and advanced to the NIT semifinals.
Gone is All-Pac-12 post man Branden Carlson — he and Cole Bajema played their final year of eligibility in 2023-24. Gone, too, are Deivon Smith, Rollie Worster and Keba Keita — the trio headlined a list of former Utes who hit the transfer portal.
It puts Utah in a position where the primary returnees are seniors Gabe Madsen and Lawson Lovering, while 10 new faces joined the program this offseason, if you count Caleb Lohner, the former BYU and Baylor forward and now-Utah tight end who may join the Runnin’ Utes after the conclusion of the football season.
On Tuesday, Utah fans will get their first official glance at the new talent, as the Runnin’ Utes face CSU Pueblo at 7 p.m. MDT in the team’s lone exhibition game before starting the regular season next Monday.
Here’s a look at how this year’s team has been constructed and what to watch for in Tuesday’s exhibition:
What to watch for Tuesday: While Madsen and Lovering are the clear leaders on this team, how will Erickson, Teat and Wahlin look? The exhibition game could give a glimpse at how these role players have grown their games.
Erickson had some adjustments to make in his first season playing for Utah, but by the end of last season, his offensive talent started to bloom. Over the Utes’ final six games, Erickson scored in double figures four times — after doing so only twice prior to that — and averaged 9.5 points per game. The new-look Utes could use a consistent scoring punch from the former Timpview High star this season.
Smith told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein that Wahlin has taken the biggest jump this offseason among returning players. He played spotty minutes as a freshman fresh off a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but if the 6-foot-10 forward can command a better grasp of his talent and make bigger contributions, it will help strengthen the post for Utah.
Teat, after walking on last season, is now on scholarship. He received some scattered minutes as a freshman, but it looks like he’ll take on an expanded role, and in the lone practice where media members were able to observe the Runnin’ Utes, Teat appeared active and ready to contribute more fully.
What to watch for Tuesday: There are several transfers that will be fun to monitor during the exhibition matchup.
Ausar is expected to take on a significant scoring role with this team — the 6-9 power forward averaged 11.4 points for East Carolina last season, and he was a frequent visitor to the free-throw line, averaging 6.2 free-throw attempts per game.
Utah will also get a glimpse at the Utes’ main facilitator, Little, a Baylor transfer. With Deivon Smith taking his triple-double talents to St. John’s, Little will be the team’s top point guard one year after he saw minimal minutes at Baylor.
Sharavjamts is the ultimate embodiment of the versatility that coach Craig Smith said this year’s team has — he stands 6-9, and yet Mongolian Mike is expected to be a main facilitator for this offense. He’s also shown a propensity to knock down 3-pointers.
Dawes was heavily courted by Utah during his high school recruiting phase, but after he spent one season at Rice, he is coming to Salt Lake City with some promise. The 6-8 small forward has flashed athleticism in his short college time, and he could be a catalyst for the Utes.
Mason Madsen joins his twin brother Gabe, and he’s shown the ability to knock down 3-pointers and be a smart facilitator. His veteran presence should be a stabilizing force for the Utah guard lineup.
Keller, meanwhile, is expected to be a vital piece of the frontcourt for Utah. The Utes faced him last season when he was at Wake Forest, and that ended up being one of his best games of the season — he had a season-high 10 points and five rebounds. Keller needs to be a solid role player inside for the Utes as they enter the Big 12.
These two were the final additions to the Utah roster this offseason. As such, they’re not expected to make a big impact during the 2024-25 season.
Unless there’s a rash of injuries, Karram and Traore are more likely to be redshirt candidates this season.