Utes Fall Short Of Sweeping State-Rival BYU

Monday, March 1

Provo, Utah

10:00 PM

University of Utah

BYU*

3/1/2004 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball

March 2, 2004

Box Score

By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer

PROVO, Utah (AP) - Mark Bigelow scored 19 points and Rafael Araujo had 16 points in both players' final home game to lead Brigham Young past Utah 70-57 Monday, avoiding a sweep by the state-rival Utes for the second straight season.

BYU (19-7, 9-4) moved ahead of Utah (20-8, 8-5) in the Mountain West Conference standings with one game remaining and will be the No. 2 seed in the league tournament next week in Denver. Air Force clinched the MWC regular-season title and the top seed in the tournament earlier Monday with a 62-49 win over San Diego State.

Nick Jacobson had 16 points and seven rebounds for Utah. Andrew Bogut added 14 points and seven rebounds, but the Australian freshman was just 4-for-14 from the floor as the Cougars outplayed the Utes inside.

Mike Hall had 21 points for BYU, which has won seven straight games.

The Cougars outscored Utah 36-14 inside and shot 53.6 percent (15-for-28) in the second half.

Even with the 10 p.m. MST starting time, the Marriott Center was packed and loud as 22,718 fans came to see the state's biggest rivalry. BYU blew a 17-point lead in Salt Lake City and Utah won 64-56 Jan. 31.

This time, the Cougars let an 11-point lead in the second half fall only to four before regaining control and hanging on for the victory.

BYU pulled ahead 34-23 on an 8-0 run, getting six straight from Araujo. Utah got within four on a 3-pointer by Jacobson and a basket by Bogut, but the Cougars responded with seven straight points to pull away again.

Garner Meads' shot from the lane put the Cougars up 50-39. Utah trimmed it to six on a 3-pointer by Bogut, but Kevin Woodberry answered with a 3. BYU led by at least six the rest of the way and continued to widen the margin as Utah attempted some desperation shots.

BYU led 26-19 at halftime, using a 19-2 run to pull away at the end of the half.

After going scoreless for the first 3:53, the Cougars took advantage of 14 Utah turnovers to take the lead. Hall led BYU on a 10-0 run that he capped with a steal and a two-handed dunk to tie it at 17-all with about six minutes left in the half. Hall scored seven during the rally and Bigelow started it with a 3-pointer.

Hall gave the Cougars their first lead on a layup through traffic to put BYU up 21-19. Then after a Utah turnover, Meads slammed in an offensive rebound with about two minutes left in the half. Utah turned the ball over again as the shot clock was winding down and Bigelow added a 3-pointer to put the Cougars up by seven at halftime.