SALT LAKE CITY – One of the nation's best rivalry resumes this Saturday, Dec. 9, when the #--/RV Utah men's basketball team entertains #14/13 BYU for the 264th edition of the Red vs. Blue rivalry game inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Guy Haberman will call the action for fans on Pac-12 Networks alongside the legendary Bill Walton with tip-off set for 5 p.m. (MT).
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UTES VS. AP RANKED TEAMS
This Season vs. AP Ranked Opp: 0-1 (.000)
Last Win vs. AP Ranked Opp: #4 Arizona 81-66 (12/1/22)
Last Win vs. AP Ranked Opp (Home): #4 Arizona 81-66 (12/1/22)
All-Time vs. AP Ranked Opp: 69-162 (.299)
All-Time vs. AP Ranked Opp (Home): 39-44 (.470)
All-Time vs. #14 AP Ranked Opp: 6-16 (.272)
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UTAH ALL-TIME VS. #14 AP RANKED OPPONENTS
Saturday's match-up will be Utah's 23rd game against a No. 14 AP ranked opponent. The Utes are 4-7 all-time when playing the No. 14 team in the nation at home, 1-7 on the road and 1-2 on a neutral court.
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| DATE |
OPPONENT |
H/A/N |
RESULT |
| Jan. 27, 1950 |
Wyoming |
HOME |
L, 42-35 |
| Dec. 30, 1950 |
Wyoming |
NEUTRAL |
L, 55-42 |
| Feb. 6, 1953 |
California |
HOME |
L, 62-61 |
| Feb. 7, 1953 |
California |
HOME |
W, 62-58 |
| Jan. 29, 1954 |
California |
AWAY |
L, 70-59 |
| Jan. 30, 1954 |
California |
AWAY |
L, 95-63 |
| Jan. 20, 1956 |
Oklahoma City |
HOME |
W, 60-58 |
| Jan. 15, 1972 |
BYU |
HOME |
L, 67-61 |
| Jan. 28, 1978 |
New Mexico |
AWAY |
L, 113-89 |
| Feb. 9, 1980 |
BYU |
HOME |
L, 83-82 |
| Dec. 17, 1982 |
Houston |
NEUTRAL |
L, 82-57 |
| Dec. 16, 1983 |
Oregon State |
AWAY |
L, 62-49 |
| Jan. 29, 1986 |
Notre Dame |
AWAY |
L, 94-64 |
| Dec. 12, 1992 |
Arizona |
AWAY |
L, 78-64 |
| Dec. 9, 1993 |
Arizona |
HOME |
L, 88-81 |
| Dec. 21, 1996 |
Texas |
HOME |
W, 80-68 |
| March 7, 1997 |
New Mexico |
NEUTRAL |
W, 72-70 |
| Feb. 1, 1998 |
New Mexico |
AWAY |
L, 77-74 |
| Nov. 19, 1999 |
Kentucky |
AWAY |
W, 56-48 |
| Dec. 22, 1999 |
Texas |
HOME |
W, 79-73 |
| March 3, 2010 |
BYU |
HOME |
L, 71-51 |
| Jan. 4, 2018 |
Arizona |
HOME |
L, 94-82 |
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AGAINST A RANKED BYU
Heading into Saturday's rivalry game, Utah is 4-12 all-time when playing against an AP ranked BYU squad and 0-3 when the Cougars have been ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll. The Utes are also 3-6 all-time when playing against a ranked BYU team at home with its most recent victory stemming back on Feb. 27, 1993, when the Utes defeated a 23rd-ranked BYU team 89-23
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| DATE |
H/A/N |
BYU RANK |
RESULT |
| Feb. 16, 1951 |
HOME |
12 |
L, 73-60 |
| Feb. 17, 1951 |
AWAY |
12 |
W, 54-49 |
| March 2, 1951 |
HOME |
11 |
W, 67-58 |
| March 3, 1951 |
AWAY |
11 |
L, 69-50 |
| Jan. 15, 1972 |
HOME |
14 |
L, 67-61 |
| Feb. 19, 1972 |
AWAY |
11 |
L, 79-66 |
| Jan. 12, 1980 |
AWAY |
17 |
L, 89-72 |
| Feb. 9, 1980 |
HOME |
14 |
L, 83-82 |
| Jan. 31, 1981 |
HOME |
15 |
W, 60-56 |
| March 7, 1981 |
AWAY |
18 |
L, 95-76 |
| Feb. 4, 1988 |
AWAY |
3 |
L, 82-64 |
| Feb. 27, 1988 |
HOME |
11 |
W, 62-60 |
| Feb. 27, 1993 |
HOME |
23 |
W, 89-83 |
| Jan. 30, 2010 |
AWAY |
12 |
L, 82-69 |
| March 3, 2010 |
HOME |
14 |
L, 71-51 |
| Jan. 11, 2011 |
HOME |
11 |
L, 104-79 |
| Feb. 12, 2011 |
AWAY |
7 |
L, 72-59 |
| Nov. 27, 2021 |
HOME |
18 |
L, 75-64 |
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KEBA KING EMERGES
Utah sophomore
Keba Keita has had a strong return to the line-up, averaging 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in his three games back so far while shooting a white-hot .947 clip (18-for-19). During that 3 game stretch, Keita becomes the first Pac-12 player since Zeke Nnaji (Arizona) to average at least 13.6 points and 7.0 rebounds with a .947 shooting clip.
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Through games on Dec. 5, Keita is just 1-of-2 players in the country to average at least 10 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting at least 70-percent from the field off the bench. The other player being Quinnipiac's Rihards Vavers, who is averaging 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds with a .786 shooting clip. However, Vavers has only played two games this season.
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BIG BEN
Making his first start of the season,
Ben Carlson showed up in a big way for the Utes. The 6-9 forward recorded his first-career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting with 2 assists and a steal. The 15 points was a new career-high for the Woodbury, Minn., product while his 10 rebounds was just one shy of tying his career-high.
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IN WORSTER WE TRUST
Through games on Dec. 5, Utah floor general
Rollie Worster is just 1-of-7 guards in the country to average at least 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
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| PLAYER |
TEAM |
GP |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
| Tristen Newton |
UConn |
9 |
17.1 |
7.6 |
6.1 |
| Tamin Lipsey |
Iowa State |
8 |
15.1 |
6.5 |
6.3 |
| Braeden Smith |
Colgate |
8 |
15.1 |
5.6 |
5.8 |
| Carlton Carrington |
Pitt |
8 |
14.6 |
5.4 |
5.9 |
| Braden Smith |
Purdue |
9 |
11.7 |
6.0 |
7.1 |
| Jaquan Carlos |
Hofstra |
7 |
11.3 |
5.0 |
6.6 |
| Rollie Worster |
Utah |
8 |
11.1 |
5.5 |
5.9 |
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LAST TIME OUT
Utah wasn't its sharpest on defense against Southern Utah at home on Tuesday, but career-high nights from
Keba Keita and
Ben Carlson helped the Utes outlast the Thunderbirds 88-86 at home. Utah dominated the post, scoring 56 of its 88 points in the paint. Keita finished with a team-high and career-high 23 points on 11-of-12 shooting with 8 rebounds. Carlson, who made a spot start for the injured
Branden Carlson, also posted career-highs with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Gabe Madsen added 19 points for Utah while
Rollie Worster picked up his fourth-career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 11 assists.
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UP NEXT
The Utes will get a week off for finals week before resuming non-conference action as it entertains another in-state team in Utah Valley on Saturday, Dec. 16. Ted Robinson and Matt Muehlebach will call the action between the Runnin' Utes and Wolverines on Pac-12 Networks at 2 p.m. (MT).
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LOOKING AHEAD
Utah will close out its non-conference slate with Bellarmine on Wednesday, Dec. 20, inside the Jon M. Huntsman center before taking a short holiday break ahead of starting Pac-12 play at the end of the month to wrap up the 2023 calendar year. Tip-off between the Utes and Knights is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks with Krista Blunk and Ernie Kent calling the action.
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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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