Looking Back At BYU Basketball’s History Against Arizona
Feb 3, 2025, 5:08 PM | Updated: 9:19 pm
BYU basketball had a meeting against the Arizona Wildcats in 2010 in Salt Lake City. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah — Thanks to conference realignment, BYU basketball is rekindling an old conference series on the hardwood with Arizona.
The two programs were once in the WAC together in the 1960s and 70s. Fast forward to now, they are reunited in the Big 12 Conference.
Out of all the teams the Big 12 brought in as part of landing the “Four Corner Schools,” adding Arizona basketball to the league was a big deal.
The Wildcats are one of the great programs in college basketball and have a storied history.
Some of Arizona’s history involved two matchups per year against BYU when they were in the WAC.
The Western-based program will do that again in their first year as Big 12 foes when BYU hosts the No. 20 Wildcats in Provo on February 4. Then, the Cougars will travel to Tucson to play at McKale Center on February 22.
Series history for BYU basketball against Arizona
Arizona leads the all-time series 20-19.
The programs last met as non-conference foes in 2010.
Here’s a look back at the history between the two programs.
BYU/Arizona Games in Provo
*Games as non-conference opponents
- November 28, 1998: No. 11 Arizona 78, BYU 74* (OT)
- January 19, 1978: BYU 87, Arizona 86
- February 17, 1977: No. 17 Arizona 64, BYU 62
- February 14, 1976: BYU 79, Arizona 74 (OT)
- January 11, 1975: No. 10 Arizona 83, BYU 66
- January 26, 1974: Arizona 93, BYU 91
- January 25, 1973: BYU 93, Arizona 79
- January 8, 1972: No. 18 BYU 88, Arizona 67 (First meeting in the Marriott Center)
- February 26, 1971: BYU 95, Arizona 83
- February 14, 1970: BYU 93, Arizona 78
- February 15, 1969: BYU 70, Arizona 66
- January 12, 1968: BYU 72, Arizona 62
- March 4, 1967: BYU 70, Arizona 58
- January 8, 1966: No. 8 BYU 87, Arizona 74
- February 26, 1965: BYU 92, Arizona 88
- February 29, 1964: BYU 84, Arizona 71
- February 15, 1963: BYU 77, Arizona 72
- December 1, 1951: BYU 68, Arizona 62*
The last time Arizona rolled into the Marriott Center was 26 seasons ago. At that time, BYU and Arizona had little in common. BYU was two years removed from being the nation’s worst team after going 1-25, while Arizona was two years removed from winning the National Championship.
BYU was competitive in the game behind true freshman standout Mark Bigelow, who scored 24 points and had a BYU-record nine steals in the overtime loss.
However, the memorable game had controversy as an Arizona player, Eugene Edgerson, delivered an elbow to BYU center Bret Jepsen in the second half. That elbow from Edgerson gave Jepsen a concussion and sent him to the hospital.
BYU’s overtime win over Arizona in 1976 was an impressive game as BYU’s Verne Thompson scored a career-high 26 points to get the win over a Wildcats squad that went on to finish ranked 15th in the final AP Top 25 poll.
Trips to Tucson for BYU basketball
*Games as non-conference opponents
- December 28, 2009: BYU 99, Arizona 69*
- December 1, 1999: No. 4 Arizona 86, BYU 62*
- February 18, 1978: Arizona 104, BYU 90
- January 22, 1977: No. 16 Arizona 113, BYU 85
- January 16, 1976: Arizona 79, BYU 78
- February 14, 1975: No. 19 Arizona 97, BYU 81
- February 21, 1974: Arizona 118, BYU 90
- February 24, 1973: Arizona 100, BYU 94 (First meeting in the McKale Center)
- February 11, 1972: No. 10 BYU 86, Arizona 78
- January 30, 1971: Arizona 81, BYU 76
- January 8, 1970: Arizona 90, BYU 77
- January 23, 1969: Arizona 76, BYU 70
- March 2, 1968: Arizona 96, BYU 85
- January 13, 1967: BYU 77, Arizona 64
- February 19, 1966: Arizona 76, BYU 62
- January 15, 1965: Arizona 75, BYU 73
- February 15, 1964: Arizona 80, BYU 67
- January 12, 1963: BYU 80, Arizona 75
- December 29, 1961: Arizona 60, BYU 58*
BYU’s last visit to the McKale Center was in 2009, and it was one of the greatest individual performances in program history.
Jimmer Fredette scored 49 points on 23 field goal attempts in 36 minutes of action as BYU rolled through the Wildcats, who were in their first year under then-head coach Sean Miller.
Fredette’s 49 points set a single-game record for the most points scored by a BYU basketball player, passing Bob Skousen’s record of 47 points, which lasted 48 years.
It was also the most points scored by a player in the history of the McKale Center, a record that stands today.
After Fredette checked out of the game, Arizona fans understood the moment and gave Jimmer a standing ovation.
In 1999, BYU basketball, led by Mekeli Wesley and Terrell Lyday, was within two points of No. 4 Arizona with 14 minutes to go. But then the loaded Wildcats, featuring Michael Wright, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Gardner, pulled away behind 16 points off the bench from Rick Anderson. The victory for Arizona gave legendary head coach Lute Olson his 400th victory.
Neutral Court matchups
*Games as non-conference opponents
- December 11, 2010: No. 18 BYU 87, Arizona 65 (Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City)*
- March 16, 1991: No. 8 Arizona 76, BYU 61 (NCAA Tournament, Second Round – Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City)*
Unsurprisingly, Arizona didn’t schedule any more games with BYU after the 2010 meeting. One year removed from a 49-point effort, Jimmer Fredette scored 33 in a non-conference matchup in Salt Lake City on an Arizona team that reached the Elite Eight in 2011.
So it’s safe to think Arizona was done dealing with the Cougars after that two-game series.
That wasn’t the only time BYU faced Arizona in Salt Lake City. The two former WAC rivals squared off in the Round of 32 of the 1991 NCAA Tournament at the Huntsman Center. It was Shawn Bradley’s last game as a BYU Cougar.
Arizona, led by Bison Dele (Brian Williams), defeated BYU basketball to advance to its third Sweet 16 under Lute Olson.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
