Utah head men's basketball coach Craig Smith solidifies the frontcourt for next season with the addition of Illinois State transfer Dusan Mahorcic.
"We are thrilled to announce Dusan is joining the Runnin' Utes," said Smith. "At 6-10 and 230 pounds, he brings much needed size to our front court. He is an everyday guy that loves to compete. Dusan is tough, smart and has a high IQ for the game. His skill level and versatility will allow us to play him multiple positions."
He now joins David Jenkins Jr., Gabe Madsen, Marco Anthony, Rollie Worster, Bostyn Holt and Both Gach as Smith continues to assemble his roster.
The Belgrade, Serbia, native averaged 9.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists last season at Illinois State to go with his .591 shooting clip. He finished the season starting in 16-of-22 games with a pair of double-doubles and totaled four games with double-digit rebounds. His first double-double came in just his second game at the Division I level, posting 14 points with 13 rebounds at Ball State. He later recorded 12 points with 11 rebounds against Indiana State.
In total, Mahorcic reached double-figures in scoring 11 times last season – including a season-high 20 points with nine rebounds against Northern Iowa at home in the regular-season finale.
Prior to joining the Red Birds, Mahorcic played the 2019-20 season at Moberly Area Community College. The 6-10 forward averaged 9.9 points and 6.0 rebounds during his time with the Greyhounds while posting a .591 shooting clip with 33 blocks. Mahorcic registered in double-figures in scoring 16 times that year – including a 29-point performance where he knocked down 13-of-19 shots. In addition, he had six double-doubles on the year – including a 14-rebound effort against Marshalltown.
Mahorcic started his collegiate career at Lewis University (DII) and saw action in 18 games with a spot start in 2018-19. His freshman season saw him average 4.2 points and 2.7 rebounds to go with a .525 shooting percentage. He made his collegiate debut against Michigan Tech and scored his first point as well. His season-high of 14 points came against St. Francis after knocking down 6-of-9 from the floor.
Mahorcic prepped at Notre Dame College Prep and was an East Suburban Catholic Conference selection after averaging 16.0 points and 9.9 rebounds his senior year. In the regional championship game, Mahorcic put up 28 points while pulling down 21 rebounds.