The Utah Utes finished the 2004-05 season with a record of 29-6 straight up, which included a sensational 13-1 Mountain West Conference record as they captured the regular season league title.
Utah proved to be somewhat overvalued on the board, however, as they finished 15-13-1 against the college basketball gambling lines. In fact, Utah really faded in board value down the stretch with just four covers in their final thirteen games.
The Utes did finish impressively, however, as they made the “Sweet Sixteen” of the NCAA tourney before bowing out against Kentucky in a 52-62 loss as 4.5-point dogs.
Innocent enough start
The Utah basketball program had gone through a lot of turmoil and change through the years, however, and they lost key players from the Sweet Sixteen team. So Utah entered 2005-06 as a highly questionable team.
The Utes first scored a 74-59 home win over Texas State in an unlined affair. That was then followed by a 66-50 home win over Rhode Island as 13-point chalks for an innocent enough start.
Free fall
Starting with a 67-62 overtime win at Weber State as 6-point chalks, however, the Utes would find themselves in a free fall against the college basketball gambling odds.
Next came a 67-66 home win over Utah State as 2-point chalks for a ”bad beat.” That was followed by a 94-96 overtime loss at Rice as 2-point chalks. Next came a 52-76 loss at Colorado as 9.5-point dogs.
After back-to-back unlined home wins over Southern Utah and Adams State, the Utes suffered a horrific 42-69 neutral court loss to Washington State as 5-point dogs. Utah then took their frustration out in an 80-44 unlined home win over High Point.
More red ink
Utah opened Mountain West Conference play with a 64-49 home win over New Mexico as 4-point chalks. That was then followed by a 60-72 win at Brigham Young as 5.5-point dogs as there was more red ink to come. The Utes next lost at home to upstart San Diego State 67-72 as 4-point chalks. The red ink bleed was temporarily halted with a 78-84 loss at Colorado State. But Success could not be sustained by the Utes as they lost at Air Force 44-66 as 9.5-point dogs and then they failed badly at home against UNLV in a 59-71 loss as 1-point dogs for a fourth loss in six games against the board. Overall Utah was just 3-9 against the college basketball gambling lines and was quickly becoming one of the least desirable teams on the board.
Brief burst into black
Utah next hosted Texas Christian and scored an 80-45 win as 8-point chalks to begin a brief burst into black. That was followed by a 71-63 win at Wyoming as 3.5-point dogs. After a 53-64 loss at New Mexico, Utah scored a 79-60 home win over Brigham Young as 2.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 67-65 win at San Diego State as 10-point dogs for a fourth payoff in five games.
Fading again
The profitable stretch for Utah proved to be the exception rather than the rule, however, as they began fading again starting with a 61-69 overtime home loss to Colorado State as 6.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 51-52 home loss to Air Force as 1-point dogs in a brutal disappointment and push.
The Lobos next rebounded with a 58-65 loss/cover at UNLV as 7.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 65-69 loss at Texas Christian as 4-point chalks. The regular season finale was a 79-70 home win and cover over Wyoming as 6.5-point chalks.
In the MWC tourney, the Utes got a SU&ATS win over BYU and then lost SU&ATS to Wyoming to end the year down and out.