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Saturday, December 9
Salt Lake City, UT
5:00 PM
University of Utah
7-2,0-0Pac-12
73
vs
69
Brigham Young
8-1,0-0Big 12
1
2
F
BYU
31
38
69
Utah
45
28
73
Team Stats
BYU
Utah
FG%
.366
.491
3FG%
.233
.308
FT%
.556
.692
RB
42
41
TO
8
13
STL
6
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballRunnin' Utes Hand #14/13 BYU First Loss of Season in Front of Racuous Sold Out Crowd
12/9/2023 9:29 PM | Men's Basketball
The #--/RV Utah men’s basketball team handed in-state rival #14/13 BYU its first loss of the season 73-69.
SALT LAKE CITY – In front of a raucous sold out crowd inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center for the first time since 2017, the #--/RV Utah men's basketball team answered the bell and handed in-state rival #14/13 BYU its first loss of the season with the 73-69 victory Saturday night.
Saturday night's win was the eighth time Utah has taken down an undefeated ranked opponent and the second in as many years after last season's 81-66 victory over then No. 4 Arizona at home.
Utah (7-2) got a jump on the visiting BYU Cougars from the get-go, taking an early 17-5 lead by the 13:46 mark after Keba Keita's lay-in. The game opened with Cole Bajema knocking down a long jumper with BYU's Spencer Johnson answering with a three. However, the Utes retook the lead after Gabe Madsen drained his first of five 3-pointers on the night and never looked back.
The Cougars (8-1) answered and brought the Utah lead back down to get as close as 38-23 but Utah had too much moment thanks to the boisterous home crowd. The Runnin' Utes closed out the final 4:16 minutes of the first half on a 17-8 run – nine of which came from Branden Carlson who had 13 first-half points. Madsen also helped give Utah the 45-31 advantage heading into the locker room, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the opening frame.
Utah ran on all cylinders in the opening half, shooting 56.7-percent (17-of-30) from the floor with six triples on top of outrebounding the Cougars 22-14.
Lawson Lovering gave the Runnin' Utes their largest lead of the game out of the break, 47-31, but the Cougars did not back down and slowly cut into the Utah lead. With Utes ahead 58-48 with 12:54 to go, BYU mounted its comeback and cut the lead down to 61-59 with 4:38 left to go.
Lovering would end the 6:31 minute scoring drought for Utah with a free throw with 6:23 remaining. However, it wasn't until the 4:55 mark did the Utes finally make a field-goal – breaking a 7:59 minute drought after Rollie Worster drove past his defender for the lay-up as BYU's Jaxson Robinson hit a three on the ensuing possession to make it 61-59.
Despite BYU's constant attack, the Runnin' Utes were poised and answered each time with a basket of their own but none more fatal than the 3-pointer from Madsen to put the Utes ahead 71-64 with 1:01 left to play.
Madsen finished with a game-high tying 17 points on 5-of-9 from 3-point range and three assists while Carlson chipped in with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Keita was electric off the bench once again for the Utes, finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting despite being in foul trouble. Bajema also chipped in with 9 points and 6 boards while Hunter Erickson added 8 points off the bench in the win. Lovering stuff the stat sheet Saturday night with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah is now 1-1 against AP ranked opponents this season and picked up its 40th victory at home against an AP ranked opponent all-time … Utah's 45-31 lead a half was its largest against a ranked non-conference opponent since being up 14 vs. #21 Stanford in the 1997 NCAA Tournament … Utah led for 38:41 minutes of the game, trailing only in the opening minutes when BYU took a 3-2 lead … Utah is now 77-52 against BYU at home and 31-16 when playing inside the Huntsman Center … head coach Craig Smith picked up his first-career win over BYU with the win, he is now 1-5 against the Cougars all-time as a head coach.
UP NEXT
Utah will now get a week off for finals week before hosting its third in-state opponent in a row when it welcomes in Utah Valley – who is 6-4 on the year after its 74-71 loss to Oregon State. Ted Robinson and Matt Muehlebach will have the call on Pac-12 Networks as the Runnin' Utes and Wolverines tip things off at 2 p.m. (MT).
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Saturday night's win was the eighth time Utah has taken down an undefeated ranked opponent and the second in as many years after last season's 81-66 victory over then No. 4 Arizona at home.
One time for the big home town fella?? pic.twitter.com/jGOHth6PdQ
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) December 10, 2023
Utah (7-2) got a jump on the visiting BYU Cougars from the get-go, taking an early 17-5 lead by the 13:46 mark after Keba Keita's lay-in. The game opened with Cole Bajema knocking down a long jumper with BYU's Spencer Johnson answering with a three. However, the Utes retook the lead after Gabe Madsen drained his first of five 3-pointers on the night and never looked back.
The Cougars (8-1) answered and brought the Utah lead back down to get as close as 38-23 but Utah had too much moment thanks to the boisterous home crowd. The Runnin' Utes closed out the final 4:16 minutes of the first half on a 17-8 run – nine of which came from Branden Carlson who had 13 first-half points. Madsen also helped give Utah the 45-31 advantage heading into the locker room, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the opening frame.
THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN??
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) December 10, 2023
off the @GabeMadsen53 steal, @ballerbranden35 with the reverse???? pic.twitter.com/JKbSxlBvk9
Utah ran on all cylinders in the opening half, shooting 56.7-percent (17-of-30) from the floor with six triples on top of outrebounding the Cougars 22-14.
Lawson Lovering gave the Runnin' Utes their largest lead of the game out of the break, 47-31, but the Cougars did not back down and slowly cut into the Utah lead. With Utes ahead 58-48 with 12:54 to go, BYU mounted its comeback and cut the lead down to 61-59 with 4:38 left to go.
Lovering would end the 6:31 minute scoring drought for Utah with a free throw with 6:23 remaining. However, it wasn't until the 4:55 mark did the Utes finally make a field-goal – breaking a 7:59 minute drought after Rollie Worster drove past his defender for the lay-up as BYU's Jaxson Robinson hit a three on the ensuing possession to make it 61-59.
With the muscle again ??
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) December 10, 2023
Worster inside??#GoUtes | ?? @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/Y0RJoLdvzG
Despite BYU's constant attack, the Runnin' Utes were poised and answered each time with a basket of their own but none more fatal than the 3-pointer from Madsen to put the Utes ahead 71-64 with 1:01 left to play.
UTAH HANGS ON ??
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) December 10, 2023
No. 14 BYU falls at the hands of the Utes, as yet another unbeaten team goes down ?? pic.twitter.com/Wzh6pWiVU1
Madsen finished with a game-high tying 17 points on 5-of-9 from 3-point range and three assists while Carlson chipped in with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Keita was electric off the bench once again for the Utes, finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting despite being in foul trouble. Bajema also chipped in with 9 points and 6 boards while Hunter Erickson added 8 points off the bench in the win. Lovering stuff the stat sheet Saturday night with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah is now 1-1 against AP ranked opponents this season and picked up its 40th victory at home against an AP ranked opponent all-time … Utah's 45-31 lead a half was its largest against a ranked non-conference opponent since being up 14 vs. #21 Stanford in the 1997 NCAA Tournament … Utah led for 38:41 minutes of the game, trailing only in the opening minutes when BYU took a 3-2 lead … Utah is now 77-52 against BYU at home and 31-16 when playing inside the Huntsman Center … head coach Craig Smith picked up his first-career win over BYU with the win, he is now 1-5 against the Cougars all-time as a head coach.
UP NEXT
Utah will now get a week off for finals week before hosting its third in-state opponent in a row when it welcomes in Utah Valley – who is 6-4 on the year after its 74-71 loss to Oregon State. Ted Robinson and Matt Muehlebach will have the call on Pac-12 Networks as the Runnin' Utes and Wolverines tip things off at 2 p.m. (MT).
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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