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Utah lands verbal commitment from 2014 forward Kyle Kuzma

Utah v Oregon - Pac-12 Semifinals

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 15: Head coach Larry Krystkowiak of the Utah Utes calls out in the first half while taking on the Oregon Ducks during the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 14, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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Slowly but surely, Larry Krystkowiak’s Utah basketball program is taking steps back towards respectability.

After winning just six games in his first season at the Pac-12 school, Krystkowiak’s team improved its win total by nine games in 2012-13 and reached the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament. With rising sophomores Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor being joined by a six-member recruiting class that includes junior guard Delon Wright, the hope is that the Utes can improve their standing within the conference (5-13 record last season) in 2013-14.

Coach Krystkowiak and his staff have done a good job on the recruiting trail as well, and on Friday it was reported by Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune that 6-8 forward Kyle Kuzma has verbally committed to attend Utah. The versatile Kuzma, who some have described as a “point forward,” joins 6-8 forward Brekkott Chapman as commitments in Utah’s 2014 class.

Utah will lose just one senior at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, with that playing being 6-9 power forward Renan Lenz. Utah was in a bit of a downward spiral towards the end of their time in the Mountain West, and their move to the Pac-12 made the rebuilding process a little tougher. But with the newcomers on board to join key contributors such as Loveridge and Taylor, things may be starting to look up for a program that during the 1990s was one of the best in the western United States.

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