The basics
Utah (7-2) vs BYU (8-2)
Saturday at 9 p.m. MST
Marriott Center (20,900)
Provo
TV: ESPN2
Livestream: Watch ESPN
Radio: AM-1160, AM-700
Tickets: BYU ticket office
Parking: Map
Weather: 34 degrees, snow showers
The trends
Utah: The Utes will be going into a hostile environment after a one-year hiatus of the series.
BYU: The Cougars are on a five-game winning streak
The edge
Utah will win if freshman forward Donnie Tillman scores in double-digit points
BYU will win if they outshoot the Utes from the 3-point line.
Player to watch:
Elijah Bryant
The 6-foot-5 210-pound guard averages 16.2 points per game. It was not too long ago when the junior nearly recorded a triple-double against Illinois State on Dec. 6 He’s capable of putting up similar numbers in clutch moments.
Key matchup
The Utes will have a tough task defending the Cougars that are loaded with perimeter shooters. The Utes will have to provide pressure defensively and keep up the tempo on offense.
Quotable
“There’s so much that goes on and is said back-and-forth. We don’t have to play Utah to have a really successful basketball program here. But it’s just good to be able to have the people of the state of Utah to have their two premier teams play each other … Hopefully, we can continue playing them.”
— BYU coach Dave Rose
“It doesn’t really matter to me. I’m not too concerned about that. I’m worried about focusing on what I can control. I’m sure it’s not going to be warm and fuzzy and flowers and chocolates.”
— Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak
Next Up
The next four games for BYU will be at home. A win over Utah will extend their winning streak to six prior to their next game against Idaho State.
The Utes has one more non conference game on next week at home against Northwestern State before the travelling on the road to face Oregon for their Pac-12 opener.
Schedule
Utah
11/10 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M W 83-62
11/13 Mississippi Valley State W 91-51
11/16 Missouri W 77-59
11/20 Mississippi (MGM Resorts Main Events) W 83-74
11/22 UNLV (MGM Resorts Main Events) L 85-58
11/24 EASTERN WASHINGTON W 85-69
12/2 Hawaii W 80-60
12/5 at Butler W 81-69
12/9 Utah State (Beehive Classic) W 77-67
12/16 at BYU 9 p.m. ESPN2
Northwestern State 7 p.m. Pac-12 Network
at Oregon 8 p.m. FS1
at Oregon State 4 p.m. Pac 12 Network.
Arizona 7 p.m.
Arizona STATE 6 p.m. ESPNU
at UCLA 9 p.m. ESPN2
at USC 6 p.m. ESPNU
Washington 8 p.m. Pac-12 Network
Washington State 6 p.m. ESPNU
at Arizona State 7:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network
at Arizona 3:30 p.m. FOX
at Colorado 7 p.m. FS1
Stanford 6 p.m. FS1
California 7:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network
at Washington 7 p.m. Pac-12 Network
at Washington State 8 p.m. ESPNU
UCLA 7 p.m.
USC 12:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network
Colorado 5 p.m. Pac-12 Network
at Pac-12 Tournament (Las Vegas)
BYU
11/11 Miss Valley St W 91-61
11/15 at Princeton W 65-56
11/18 UT Arlington (Barclay Center Classic-Campus Game) W 89-75
11/21 Niagara W 95-88 (Barclay Center Classic-Campus Game)
11/24 No.25 Alabama L 71-59 (Barclay Center Classic)
11/25 at UMass W 68-66
11/29 at Utah Valley W 85-58
12/02 at Utah State W 75-66
12/06 Illinois State W 80-68
12/09 Weber State (Beehive Classic) W 74-68
12/16 Utah 9 p.m. on ESPN 2
12/21 Idaho State 7 p.m. ESPN3
12/23 Texas Southern 7 p.m. ESPN3
12/28 Portland 7 p.m. ESPN3
12/30 Saint Mary’s 2 p.m. ESPNU
1/4 at San Francisco 9 p.m. ESPN3
1/6 Pacific 8 p.m. ESPN 3
1/11 Pepperdine 7 p.m. ESPN3
1/13 at Santa Clara 8 p.m. ESPN3
1/18 Loyola Mary 9 p.m. ESPNU
1/20 San Diego 7 p.m. ESPN3
1/25 at Saint Mary’s 11 p.m.
1/27 Pacific 9 p.m. ESPN3
2/1 at Loyola Mary 11 p.m. on ESPN3
2/3 at No.12 Gonzaga 10 p.m. ESPN2
2/8 Santa Clara 11 p.m. ESPNU
2/10 San Francisco 4 p.m. ESPN3
2/15 at Pepperdine 10 p.m. ESPN3
2/17 at San Diego 4 p.m. ESPN3
2/22 at Portland 11 p.m. ESPNU
2/24 No.12 Gonzaga 8 p.m.