That tradition helped convince Kansas State head coach Jack Gardner to accept the job[citation needed].

Jack Gardner was known for his quick offenses, which is where Utah got its name as the Runnin' Redskins (later changed to the Utes)[citation needed].

Because of his radical offensive sets, the Utes were widely regarded as the team that helped usher in a new era of college basketball.

That year the Utes climbed to 11th in the polls and made it to the Elite Eight, before bowing out to eventual champion San Francisco, who was led by future NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell.

The Utes kept their postseason streak alive for Gardner's fourth and fifth seasons, making the NIT, however, they lost in the first round both years[citation needed].

After getting eliminated in the second round in consecutive years, Jack Gardner and Utah finally made a run at the national championship in 1961.

The Utes easily won 91–75 and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they defeated Arizona State 88–80, to make the school's first Final Four in 17 years.

But it was the cultural significance of this Final Four that would have far reaching historical impact and change the game of college basketball forever.

After getting by the Beavers, Utah faced Texas Western in the Final Four, with the winner advancing to play Kentucky for the national championship.

There Texas Western, under the leadership of the legendary Don Haskins, started five black players for the first time in NCAA Championship history.

Texas Western would go on to defeat Kentucky, led by Adolph Rupp, to claim the 1966 national title, and would be inducted as a team in 2010.

Though Utah lost to the Miners in the Final Four, Jerry Chambers was named the Most Outstanding Player, joining Arnie Ferrin as the only other Ute to win the award.

He's the only coach to lead the Utes to two Final Fours and his legacy lives on, as Gardner was integral in getting the athletic department to build the Huntsman Center, the current home to the men's basketball team.

In his fourth year at Utah, he once again guided the Utes to the Sweet 16, however, again coming up short, losing a tough one to Notre Dame.

Pimm would take Utah to its third NCAA Tournament in a row, but unlike the past two years, the Utes were upset in the first round by Pepperdine.

Though Pimm had been a successful coach at Utah, his relationship was strained with the athletic department and his final season with the Utes occurred in the 1983 campaign.

Though he had mild success with the Utes, like guiding them to the WAC Championship in 1986 and the NCAA tournament, he could never build on what Foster and Pimm had started.

Although he was fairly unknown, Majerus had just finished possibly the best season in Ball State history, leading the Cardinals to a 29–3 record and a second round appearance in the NCAA tournament.

In his first full year as head coach, Majerus guided the Utes to a conference championship and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.

Yet led by Andre Miller and Michael Doleac, the Utes would begin an improbable run that would guide the program to its first national championship game in 54 years.

The game, one of the worst losses in Wildcat history, pushed Utah to their first Final Four in 32 years, where they beat the #1 overall seed, North Carolina, 65–59.

However, they couldn't hold on and Kentucky fought back and using their depth and talent, they took over the game in the final minutes and cruised to a 78–69 victory.

After Kerry Rupp led the Utes to the NCAA tournament to finish out the remainder of Rick Majerus' season in 2004, Utah had to look for a coach for the first time in 15 years.

They also won the 2009 Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament in a close 52–50 victory over San Diego State Aztecs.

On April 3, 2011, the University of Utah announced Larry Krystkowiak would take over the head coaching position as the Utes transition in the inaugural season of the newly expanded Pac-12.

In 2006 the Grizzlies beat a heavily favored Nevada team for Krystkowiak's only NCAA tournament victory as a head coach, before joining the Utes.

Having received offers from multiple programs nationally, Loveridge skipped the likes of BYU, Colorado, and Utah State for the Utes.

[12] Led by strong leadership from senior center Jason Washburn and major contributions from Loyola Marymount transfer shooting guard Jarred DuBois[13] and the new freshmen, the 2012–2013 Utah Runnin' Utes put together a 15–18 season which included a run to the Pac-12 Tournament semifinal.

[23] The Runnin' Utes stormed out of the gates in the 2014–2015 season, amassing a 14–2 record in their first 16 games with losses to #16 San Diego State and #10 Kansas.

[24] The season would end in a Sweet Sixteen trip for the Runnin' Utes where they lost to the eventual champion Duke Blue Devils by a score of 63–57.