Looking In On Larry Krystowiak

Solid blog post by ESPN on new Utah (and former Montana coach and player) Head Man Larry Krystowiak.

But in two seasons as a college head coach before leaving for the pros, Krystkowiak twice led his alma mater, Montana, to the NCAA tournament. His last college victory came in the 2006 tourney, when his gritty 12th-seeded Grizzlies upended Nevada in the first round.

Current Montana coach Wayne Tinkle, then an assistant under Krystkowiak, doesn’t recall much of a celebration after the team’s upset win. Krystkowiak had instilled a sense of confidence that made it seem like just another victory.

“We expected to beat Nevada,” Tinkle said. “People that watched that game said, ‘Why weren’t you doing cartwheels?’”

If Krystowiak is going to have success early in his career, he will need some help from former Eastern Washington PG Glen Dean, who transferred to Utah and will be eligible in 2012-13. It will be interesting to see if Krystowiak is able to achieve success for a depleted Utes club.