The Utah men’s basketball team is set to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in their opening round of the Big 12 tournament on March 5, 2024, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The match, scheduled for 1 p.m. MT, raises questions regarding the availability of freshman guard Lucas Langarita, who has been listed as “questionable” for the contest.
Langarita, who joined the Runnin’ Utes in December, has struggled with injuries throughout the season. He missed a significant portion of conference play due to an undisclosed injury, sitting out for 12 consecutive games after his debut against BYU on January 10. In the final three regular season games, he played as a backup guard, accumulating a total of eight points, three assists, five rebounds, and eight turnovers over 52 minutes of play. Utah hoped that Langarita would enhance their backcourt depth and shooting capability, but injury setbacks have limited his contributions this season.
As Utah prepares for the game, they will also be without Jacob Patrick, a sharpshooting guard who has been sidelined due to injury since December 6, 2023. Patrick, who was shooting an impressive 46.5% from three-point range at the start of the season, has not returned to the lineup since a home victory against Cal Baptist. Additionally, fifth-year forward Babacar Faye has been ruled out for the entire season due to a leg injury sustained in September.
In contrast, the Cincinnati Bearcats, who hold a record of 17-14 overall and 9-9 in the Big 12, are expected to field a near-full strength lineup. The only player unavailable for them is Jalen Haynes, who has not participated in any games this season following successful knee surgery last fall. Haynes, a 6-foot-8 forward, was an All-Atlantic 10 first-team selection at George Mason last season, adding to the Bearcats’ depth and experience.
The winner of the matchup between Utah and Cincinnati will advance to face the 8-seeded UCF Knights in the second round of the Big 12 tournament on March 6, 2024, at 1 p.m. MT. As both teams prepare for this critical postseason encounter, the stakes are high, with a chance to continue their tournament run on the line.
