NCAA Basketball: 25 best team rivalries heading into 2019-20 season
By Joey Loose
23. BYU Cougars vs. Utah Utes
A fierce rivalry in both basketball and football, the fight over supremacy in the state of Utah has given us some intriguing moments throughout history.
While these two Mormon schools fight the Holy War in football, we’ll limit our focus to the basketball side of things, though there’s plenty to talk about between these foes. They aren’t in the same conference these days, but they usually still find a way to play.
The rivalry has been played every season for nearly a century until Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak decided to cancel their contest in 2016. Their contests had become increasingly heated, bowling over with physical altercations in the previous contest involving Nick Emery of BYU. The series has resumed and Utah holds a 76 to 68 advantage.
The two Utah schools have never met in the NCAA Tournament, but there has been no shortage of intrigue in this rivalry. There have been intense overtime contests and some explosive efforts from Jimmer Fredette.
There was then-Utah player Marshall Henderson striking an opponent in a game that BYU would win. Back in 2002, the Cougars erased a 21-point deficit at home for an incredible comeback victory.
These days, BYU competes in the WCC, while Utah sits in the Pac-12. Neither school has set the basketball world on fire since the Fredette days, though Utah has had some postseason success in recent seasons.
The Cougars bring aboard new head coach Mark Pope, who has experience with this rivalry already. This season’s game is at Utah in December, but will be treated to the same fireworks that some of these games have given us?