The December in-state basketball wars resume tonight when the University of Utah plays Utah State in the Huntsman Center in their final game before Christmas break.
The Utes are 5-2 and riding a three-game winning streak. The Aggies are 2-3. Both teams already have lost to Weber State.For the first time since the series began in 1908, Utah and USU will play only once this season, which makes this game all the more important in the in-state basketball competition. There will be no rematch.
The Utes, who lead the series 119-84, split last year's home-and-home series with the Aggies.
Tonight's game, which will beginat 7:35, will be the first meeting between Utah coach Rick Majerus and USU's new coach, Larry Eustachy.
Utah will start Ma Jian, Doug Chapman, Darroll Wright and freshmen Keith Van Horn and Terry Preston. Van Horn leads the Utes in scoring and rebounding, averaging 18.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Utah State will start 6-5 Trent Rose, 6-8 Jon Wickizer, 7-0 Nate Wickizer, 6-3 Roddie Anderson and 6-1 Corwin Woodard. Nate Wickizer is averaging 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
"Nathan Wickizer is an NBA prospect and an outstanding big man," says Majerus. "They have excellent guards, and one of my biggest regrets is not recruiting (reserve) Bryon Ruffner. I love Ruffner and (reserve) Eric Franson. They have a nice team, and it will be a very difficult game for us because they are well coached and they play hard."
The Utes again will be without senior team captain Phil Dixon, who has missed the last three games while recovering from minor knee surgery. Ute officials say he is making good progress toward recovery and his status will be evaluated later in the week.
After tonight's game, the Utes will take a Christmas break before leaving for Austin on Monday to play a Dec. 29 road game against the University of Texas. Utah will stay in Texas over the New Year's holiday, moving to El Paso for the conference opener against UTEP.