Can Utah Basketball Carry Momentum Into Rivalry Game Against BYU?

Jan 17, 2025, 1:35 PM | Updated: 7:45 pm

Utah Insider

SALT LAKE CITY—Craig Smith and the Runnin’ Utes return home to the comfy confines of the Jon M. Huntsman Center as it plays host to the 265th edition of the in-state rivalry between Utah and BYU.

The Utes broke through in Big 12 play, with their first two league wins coming this past week. They first took down Oklahoma State, 82-63, last week at home, then they knocked off TCU on the road, 73-65.

With the two rivals back together as conference foes, the game takes on much more significance in the Big 12 conference race. Utah narrowly leads the all-time series record when the two have played against one another in the same conference, 118-117, while BYU leads the overall series record, 134-130. Both programs are 2-3 in league play, so a win tomorrow will be valuable.

This is a big game for both programs. Utah has built some momentum and seems to have set a new standard of play. Can they bring this new level of play to the rivalry game against BYU? The Cougars present some tough challenges, but the keys to this game largely remain the same.

BYU vs Utah Basketball, How To Watch, Listen

Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025

Tip-Off: 7:00 pm (MST)

TV/Stream: ESPN+

Radio: ESPN 700 AM

Roxy Bernstein will have the call on ESPN+ alongside Tim Welsh as Utah looks to make two in a row against the Cougars starting at 7 p.m. (MST).

Can Utah maintain its improved offensive balance?

For two straight games, Utah has found good offensive balance. Four were in double figures, while two others finished with 8 points on Wednesday night. Against the Cowboys, three scored in double figures, while another added 9, and two others scored 8 points apiece as well.

The shot distribution has also changed dramatically over the last two games. Utah has made a concerted effort to get more quality looks inside. After scoring 46 points in the paint against Oklahoma State, Utah scored 38 of its 73 points in the paint Wednesday night.

Utah’s ball movement continues to be a big factor in its success. The team finished with 18 assists on 24 field goals after dishing 23 assists on 30 field goals against the Cowboys. The most important improvement has been simply finishing these scoring opportunities.

“It was great to see the offensive balance because I do believe this team has a lot of balance,” Smith continued. “We certainly played in attack mode and made so many of the right plays. Every team has really good defenders and some not-so-good defenders, and usually, the ball can find those guys and exploit them when we make the right play, which is what we did more of and need to keep doing.”

Continue getting to the free throw line

There’s no way around it, Utah has not been great from the free throw line this season. Utah is connecting on just 64% from the line, which ranks No. 343 out of 364 teams.

However, they’re No. 77 in free throw attempts per game, which is an important dynamic in Utah’s success. In their 16 games this season, Utah is 7-1 when they have a free throw rate of 34.5% (free throw attempts divided by field goal attempts) and 3-5 in games they failed to reach that number.

In their last two games, they generated a 44% free-throw rate against Oklahoma State and a 59% rate against TCU. They went to the line a combined 53 times between those two games and converted 36 of them.

This is important because it’s a product of the shift in offensive focus and aggression. Utah isn’t settling for jump shots or avoiding contact. Instead, players are playing in attack mode, putting pressure on defenses and getting to the line.

Obviously, Utah must improve their free throw shooting, but simply getting to the line is a crucial factor in their recent success.

Clean the glass, work for offensive rebounds

BYU and Utah are two of the top rebounding teams in the Big 12. Utah is second at 40.2 rebounds per game, while BYU is third at 39.7 rebounds.

The Cougars are better on the offensive glass as they’re the No. 7 team at 12.3 offensive rebounds per game, while the Utes are No. 9 at 12.0 offensive rebounds.

Utah has the edge on the defensive glass, as it is the second-ranked team in defensive rebounds at 28.2, and BYU is fourth at 27.4.

The biggest difference between the two teams is that the Cougars’ opponents, on average, only collect 29.3 rebounds per game against them. Meanwhile, Utah’s opponents grab 35.1 rebounds per game against them.

BYU has been very effective at limiting opponent’s offensive rebounds and second-chance points. In their wins, BYU collects 81% of available defensive rebounds, which limits opponents to 6.1 offensive rebounds and just 4.2 second-chance points. In their losses, that percentage falls to 70%, as opponents grab 9.4 offensive rebounds and double their second-chance points to 8.4.

It will take all five players on the floor, but Utah must clean the glass on the defensive end and attack the offensive glass for rebounds and second-chance points.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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You know what this weekend is, Ute Fans…

FILL THE HUNTSMAN‼️

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— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 16, 2025