Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
16h ago

No. 9 BYU Visits Utah for Rivalry Return at the Huntsman Center Tonight on ESPN

BYU enters as a 14-1 top‑10 team favored by advanced metrics, facing a Utah roster short on rivalry experience.

Image
Utah head coach Alex Jensen talks with forward Keanu Dawes (8), forward Kendyl Sanders (13) and guard Terrence Brown (2) during the second half of the game against the Weber State at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025.
BYU forward Richie Saunders dribbles during game against the Utah at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. The two teams meet again in Salt Lake City Saturday night.

Overview

  • BYU arrives 14-1 with a No. 9 ranking and an 89% KenPom win probability in the matchup.
  • Utah is 8-7 in Alex Jensen’s first season and ranks lowest in the Big 12 in both KenPom and NET, reflecting persistent defensive issues.
  • The Utes have taken the last two Huntsman Center meetings against BYU, including a 73-72 overtime win last season.
  • AJ Dybantsa has scored 20-plus in eight straight games for BYU, and Utah plans to use multiple defenders to try to contain him.
  • Most Utah players are new to the rivalry, with no in-state natives and Keanu Dawes the only returnee with minutes against BYU, as the series turns quickly to a Jan. 24 rematch in Provo.