BYU-Utah Basketball Rivalry Reignites in Big 12 Showdown

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The BYU-Utah basketball rivalry, one of the most storied in college sports, will reignite Saturday night as the two teams face off for the first time as Big 12 conference opponents since 2011. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MST at the Huntsman Center, where Utah (10-6, 2-3) will look to secure back-to-back wins against BYU (11-5, 2-3) for the first time in nearly a decade.

BYU assistant coach Chris Burgess, who has deep ties to both programs, emphasized the significance of the matchup. “It is a fierce rivalry, and back to being a conference rivalry, where it belongs,” Burgess told the Deseret News. “We get a chance to play them not just for bragging rights, but for Big 12 standings implications. It is huge.”

Burgess, a former Utah player and assistant coach, now serves on BYU’s staff under first-year head coach Kevin Young. His unique perspective on the rivalry adds an extra layer of intrigue to the game. “You can’t really understand it until you live through it,” Burgess said. “There is only so much you can say about it. You just have to feel it to totally get it.”

The game also marks a homecoming for BYU junior center Keba Keita, who transferred from Utah last summer. Keita, who averaged 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Utes last season, has become a key contributor for the Cougars, averaging 6.8 points and 8.5 rebounds this year. “I love the guy,” Keita said of Burgess. “He is a great coach. At Utah, he helped me improve a lot, from not just as a basketball player, but as a person.”

Utah enters the game on a two-game winning streak, including a road victory over TCU, while BYU snapped a three-game losing skid with a win over Oklahoma State earlier this week. Both teams are 2-3 in Big 12 play, adding further stakes to the rivalry. “They got us last year, so that is fresh on our minds,” said BYU guard Dallin Hall. “You never forget the games.”

The series, which BYU leads 134-130, has been marked by intense competition and emotional highs. Burgess, who played in one rivalry game during his Utah career, recalled the unique atmosphere. “Playing in that game is so much fun,” he said. “You hate them during those 40 minutes of battling them, but then you are friends again. That’s just part of what makes it so special.”

As the teams prepare for Saturday’s showdown, the stakes are clear: bragging rights, conference standings, and the continuation of a rivalry that transcends basketball. “It is an energetic game,” Burgess said. “They are on a two-game winning streak, trying to get to three, and we are trying to get to .500 in league. So there are all these different things that are on the line.”