SALT LAKE CITY -- It's been six weeks of books, basketball, airports and hospitals, a wearying time for Utah forward Kristina Andersen.

	Forward Kristina Andersen ranks second in points (9.8) and rebounds (5.3) for the Utes.

While helping the Utes earn the No. 1 seeding in this week's Mountain West tournament, she has also made six trips home to Oregon. Her mother is fighting multiple myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer.

"It goes into remission but it can't be totally cured," Andersen said.

After one of her best performances, 22 points in a 59-55 victory at BYU on Jan. 28, Andersen hopped a flight to Portland and drove to her hometown, Eugene.

But her hospitalized mother, Diane, was somewhere else.

"She was on these drugs that made her ... what's the right word? ... psychotic," Andersen said. "She didn't know who any of us were. Everyone had a real hard time with that."

Andersen's father, Norm, her three older brothers and other relatives watched helplessly as Diane reacted to steroids, given to counter energy-sapping chemotherapy.

"The hardest part was looking at her," Andersen said. "We knew it was the drugs and it was just a matter of how long it would take to wear off, but it was hard to see her like that."

Diane's health recently improved enough for her to go home, where the Andersens have enjoyed birthday parties and leisurely afternoons watching the Portland Trail Blazers on TV.

"It's good to know they're all there, but it's hard for me when my whole family's there and I'm the only one who's not," Andersen said, her voice cracking.

"I know I'm not the first person to go through having a parent stricken with cancer and I won't be the last," Andersen added. "Mom said she wasn't going to let cancer change her everyday life and I'd like to think I'm the same way."

Utah coach Elaine Elliott said that's the case on the court. Andersen averages 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, second on the Utes (20-7) in both categories.

"Incredibly, it's not like you'd know she's going through this as a basketball player," Elliott said. "It's not like she's sulking in a corner and bursting into tears when she's criticized during practice.

"On the other hand, I know she has her moments, but they're happening at home with her family and with her roommates," Elliott said.

	Kristina Andersen reads a magazine while waiting for one of her many recent flights home.

Diane was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago. As recently as December, she and Norm traveled to Utah games, before her condition worsened in January.

Now, the daughter travels. After Andersen's big game against BYU, she spent three days in Eugene, then returned to Salt Lake City.

The next day, the Utes flew to Albuquerque, where a day later they lost in overtime to New Mexico. Utah regrouped two days later with a victory at Air Force. A few days later, Andersen was back in Oregon.

"That was a time when I was deciding 'Do I need to be at home? What's the best thing for me?' " she said. "That was the worst time of all of this. I had to make so many decisions."

Ultimately, it was an easy choice.

"I wanted to keep playing basketball, I wanted to stay in school and I wanted to be with my family," she said. "Going back and forth was the best option."

A junior, Andersen has kept up in school. Teammate Lori Red shares her class schedule and collects assignments. Professors have accepted reports and homework by fax or e-mail.

"As long as they know I'm willing to work with them to make sure all my assignments are in on time, I don't think they have a problem with it," said Andersen, a full-time student with 14 credit hours. She is majoring in Utah's parks, recreation and tourism program.

Basketball has been an escape and a blessing.

"It allows me to focus on something for two hours that has nothing to do with school or my family," she said. "It has to do with the importance I put on helping our team win."

Teammates, in turn, support Andersen all the way.

"She definitely is inspiring, the way she has handled basketball, school and her emotional stress," forward Amy Ewert said. "She comes home tired from the traveling, but it's good for her to see her family."