Vanquish The Foe - Hoops Holy War, BYU vs. Utah: Previews, predictions, podcasts and moreBYU sports. Messin' with Texas since 1987.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50093/vanquish-fav.png2014-12-10T11:00:03-08:00http://www.vanquishthefoe.com/rss/stream/71335982014-12-10T11:00:03-08:002014-12-10T11:00:03-08:00Odds and predictions, Utah edition
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<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Using data from Las Vegas and computer predictors to get a hopefully-accurate preview for BYU's hoops rivalry bout with Utah.</p> <p id="paragraph0">It's been a long time since a basketball game between BYU and Utah felt this big. The Cougars and Utes tip tonight at 7 p.m. MT on ESPNU. Let's look at how BYU is expected to fare in the grudge match.</p>
<p id="paragraph1">(This is, of course, for entertainment purposes only. While we don't encourage gambling, referencing predictions from the people who make money on predictions can be interesting.)</p>
<h4>LINES AND ODDS</h4>
<p id="paragraph2">When sports books opened lines on the game, BYU was favored by 4.5 points. The line has moved a little, and now <b>BYU is favored by 3.5.</b> The over/under opened at 149 and has stayed put.</p>
<p id="paragraph3"><a href="http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/las-vegas/" target="_blank">Vegas lines</a> and odds aren't necessarily meant to predict, but to entice betting. However, combining the line and the over/under usually ends up close to some computer models. At the very least, it's fun.</p>
<p id="paragraph4">Combining the line and the over/under, the <b>Vegas combo has BYU winning 76-73</b>.</p>
<h4>PREDICTIVE RANKINGS</h4>
<p id="paragraph5">Some computer rankings are designed to provide a built-in predictive element by comparing the ratings of two teams. We'll be looking at Ken Pomeroy, college hoops guru, and Jeff Sagarin's basketball ratings.</p>
<h5><a href="http://kenpom.com/" target="_blank">POMEROY</a></h5>
<p>Ken Pomeroy presents a ranking of teams, which has Utah at #23 and BYU at #42. But he also boils down his ratings into daily predictions at kenpom.com. He has <b>BYU winning 75-73 </b>with a <b>win percentage of 57%</b>.</p>
<p>He also assigns each game a thrill score, which anticipates how good/fun games will be to watch based on style of play and expected closeness of competition. The BYU-Utah thrill score is second tonight, behind only #9 Kansas at #20 Georgetown.</p>
<p><i>(Consider subscribing to kenpom.com. It's less than $2 per month to get some of the best advanced data that exists for college hoops and Ken is a pretty nice fellow. So </i><a href="http://kenpom.com/register.php" target="_blank"><i>Subscribe!</i></a><i>)</i></p>
<h5><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fsports%2Fncaab%2Fsagarin%2F2015%2Fteam%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanquishthefoe.com%2Fbyu-cougars-basketball%2F2014%2F12%2F10%2F7370307%2Fbyu-utah-odds-betting-lines-computer-predictions-preview" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">SAGARIN</a></h5>
<p>Utah is ranked #13 with a rating of 87.79<br>BYU is ranked #57 with a rating of 81.49</p>
<p>While standard home court advantage in basketball is 4 points, Sagarin's formula includes a value which is constantly changing based on this season's results. Currently, Sagarin has home court advantage worth 4.98 points.</p>
<p>Subtracting the difference, then giving BYU 4.98 points for home court, Sagarin has <b>Utah winning by 1</b> (1.32).</p>
<h4>NON-PREDICTIVE RATINGS</h4>
<h5><a href="http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-rpi" target="_blank">RPI</a></h5>
<p>The oft-discussed RPI is referenced, among other things, by the NCAA tournament selection committee.<br>Utah is ranked #29<br>BYU is ranked #43</p>
<h5>KPI</h5>
<p>The KPI ranking is based on data and analytics compiled by Kevin Pauga, who is Michigan State's director of basketball operations.<br>Utah is ranked #25<br>BYU is ranked #65</p>
<p>* * * * *<br>So in rankings, Utah is usually ranked well ahead of BYU, but when those apply to predictions, this is expected to be a very close contest.</p>
https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/byu-cougars-basketball/2014/12/10/7370307/byu-utah-odds-betting-lines-computer-predictions-previewBrett Hein2014-12-10T06:30:02-08:002014-12-10T06:30:02-08:00How to watch Utah at BYU
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<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><b>Game Date/Time:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Wed., Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m. MT</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Location:</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Marriott</span></span></span></span></span> Center, Provo, UT </li>
</ul>
<div><b>Game Notes:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://byucougars.com/files/byu-utah-121014_0.pdf">BYU</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://byucougars.com/files/utah-notes_0.pdf">Utah</a></li>
</ul>
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<p><b>Channel:</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">ESPNU</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </li>
</ul>
<p><b>TV Broadcast team:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Roxy Bernstein - play-by-play</li>
<li>Miles Simon - analyst</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Projected Starters - BYU:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li> <span class="sbn-auto-link">5</span><span> Kyle Collinsworth</span> (Jr., 6-6, 210) - guard<br> </li>
<li>1 <span>Chase Fischer</span> (Jr., 6-3, 195) - guard</li>
<li>3 <span>Tyler Haws</span> (Sr., 6-5, 195) - guard<br> </li>
<li> <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link">33</span><span> Nate Austin</span></span> (Sr., 6-11, 230) - forward<br> </li>
<li> <span class="sbn-auto-link">41 <span>Luke Worthington</span></span><span class="sbn-auto-link"></span> (So., 6-10, 235) - forward</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><b>Projected Starters - Utah:</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"></span></span></span> 11 <span>Brandon Taylor</span> (Jr., 5-10, 167) - <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">guard</span></span> </li>
<li> 55 <span>Delon Wright</span> (Sr., 6-5, 190) - <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">guard</span></span></span> </li>
<li>25 <span>Kenneth Ogbe</span> (So., 6-6, 190) - <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">guard</span></span></span></span> </li>
<li>20 Chris Reyes (So., 6-7, 230) - <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">guard</span></span></span></span> </li>
<li> 42 Jakob Poeltl (Fr., 7-0, 235) - forward<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"></span></span></span></span></span></span> </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Radio Coverage:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://byucougars.com/athletics/cougar-img-sports-network">Cougar IMG Sports Network</a></li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=276&sid=17626099">KSL NewsRadio</a> (BYU call)</li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://tunein.com/radio/KALL-700-s26303/">ESPN 700</a> (Utah <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">call</span></span>)<br> </li>
<li> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Sirius</span>/XM Radio Channel 143 (BYU Radio)</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Watch Online:</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index">WatchESPN.com</a> (participating providers)</p>
https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/byu-cougars-basketball/2014/12/10/7365439/how-to-watch-utah-at-byu-game-time-tv-schedule-radio-and-moreKevin Schaefer2014-12-10T06:00:02-08:002014-12-10T06:00:02-08:00Best in Utah: Tyler Haws or Delon Wright?
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<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Who's the state's best player? You're asking the wrong question.</p> <p>You may have already heard, but the state of Utah has been abundantly blessed with two great basketball talents this season — BYU's <span>Tyler Haws</span> and Utah's <span>Delon Wright</span>.</p>
<p>Both are magnificent players who bring a unique set of skills to their respective teams. Each is a joy to watch for very different reasons, and Cougar and Ute fans are lucky to have this opportunity to witness their guy's storied collegiate career as it continues to unfold. After all, this is still Utah — not exactly a state known for churning out elite hoops talent on the regular.</p>
<p>But <i>because</i> this is Utah and we are destined to remain hopelessly embroiled in a never-ending cold war of faux-machoistic rivalry posturing, one question has been asked (and asked and asked) ahead of tonight's annual matchup between the two teams in Provo.</p>
<p><i>Which player is better?</i></p>
<p>I'm sure you can imagine which way the individual fan bases fall on this one. Unsurprisingly, Utah fans tend to side with Wright, citing his across-the-board impact in several facets of the game as evidence for his superiority over the less versatile Haws. And equally unsurprisingly, BYU fans choose to boost Haws, arguing that his insane offensive production as one of the nation's preeminent scorers ultimately outweighs whatever other factors Wright brings to the table.</p>
<p>Both are fairly reasonable arguments on the merits — but that, again, begs the question: Which one is <i>right</i>?</p>
<p>My answer: We're asking the wrong question.</p>
<p>It may not make for good <a target="_blank" href="http://universe.byu.edu/2014/12/08/rivalry-edition-byus-tyler-haws-vs-utahs-delon-wright/">newspaper columns</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=wright%20haws&src=typd">Twitter banter</a>, but I find very little value in debating <i>ad nauseam</i> the identity of the state's best player, because it's literally impossible to determine with any certainty whatsoever. The question, on its face, is completely subjective — it depends entirely on each individual's definition of what constitutes a "good" or "best" basketball player. And until we find a magic potion that automatically makes everyone agree with one another on such a definition (and it remains very possible that no magic potion could ever be brewed strong enough to get Cougar and Ute fans on the same page), the conversation is futile.</p>
<p>This quandary isn't unique to BYU and Utah, nor limited to debate about Haws and Wright. It also crops up in the NBA on a regular basis in the form of that league's Most Valuable Player award. Unlike baseball, which has managed to hone its analytical tools to the point where their MVP process is little more than a statistical coronation, the NBA's highest honor is often more contentious. How does one decide which player is most deserving? Should the trophy go to the player who excels most in as many aspects of the game as possible? Or should it go to a player who does one valuable thing better than everybody else? Should it go to the guy whose team depends on him and his contributions the most for success? Or should it go to the highest profile player on the most successful team? Or should it go to the guy who stuffs the statsheet the best, regardless of team context?</p>
<p>Any of that sound familiar?</p>
<p>So this is not a new debate, and much of the ambiguity is due largely to the unique symphony that is the sport of basketball. More than almost any other sport, basketball resists binary evaluation and analysis. Baseball, for example, is fairly simple to quantify, because it can be easily broken down into a series of repeated interactions between two opposing players with limited variations in outcome. A pitcher throws a pitch to a batter, who can then decide to swing or not swing at said pitch, and the list of outcomes dependent on that decision can be built out and measured from there without much trouble.</p>
<p>Basketball is a different beast — it's complex, it's unstructured, it's free-flowing. There are 10 guys on the floor at any given time, and each player simultaneously acts independently of the other players while also playing a strategically designated role in concert with his teammates to maximize their opportunity to win. It's a team game in the purest sense of the term — and that makes it exceptionally difficult to fairly compare different individual players on different teams playing different roles in different systems to determine a cut-and-dried "best" player based on a subjective definition of the term.</p>
<p>Realistically, if we want to evaluate players in a productive way, that conversation should begin and end with how well each fills a specific role. That's what every team boils down to at the end of the day — a collection of guys playing different roles with a common goal. Not everyone has to excel in every facet of the game or stuff every statistical category, nor should they. Basketball is a game of specialists — each player represents a unique piece of the larger puzzle, and you can't win unless you fit them all together just right.</p>
<p>To be sure, some roles are easier to fill than others (for example, it may be easier to find a strong rebounder than an elite scorer) and some roles may be more important to certain teams than others, and all of that should be taken into account. But trying to definitively compare two basketball players, particularly two basketball players who fill different roles, is a fool's errand — you may entertain yourself for awhile, but you're ultimately wasting your time.</p>
<p>So where does that leave us with our friends Tyler and Delon and <i>the big question</i>? I suppose it leaves us right back at the very beginning of this article. They're both incredible basketball players who play incredibly different roles for their respective teams — and do so incredibly well.</p>
<p>Haws is the quintessential primary scorer. His entire purpose on the floor is to get buckets in bunches, and he does that better than almost anyone in the country. Does he grab a bunch of rebounds or dish out loads of assists or play lockdown defense? No, he doesn't — but he's not supposed to. That's not his role. BYU has guys who can do all those other things (well, except the defense part maybe), but they don't have anyone else who can conjure up offensive wizardry like Haws can. No one does — and that's the point.</p>
<p>Alternately, Wright is a versatile utility weapon who occupies a unique role for the Utes in that he frequently fills so many of them. He's a top-notch distributor and rebounder from either the point or wing positions, and he's an absolute defensive bulldog on the perimeter. He can certainly score the ball too (he's shown off an improved 3-point shot this season), though not with the consistency or volume of Haws — but, again, he's not supposed to. That's not his role. Utah runs a diverse offensive scheme that relies on scoring contributions from several players, rather than looking to intentionally create large numbers of opportunities for a primary option like BYU does with Haws. It's a different system that requires different roles and personnel — and Wright fills his role perfectly for the Utes.</p>
<p>Who's better? Again, that's the wrong question. Instead, we should be asking: How well does each player fill his specific role? And how important is his performance in that role to his team's success? For Haws and Wright, the answer to each of those questions is clear. Both players excel in their individual roles, and both the Cougars and Utes would suffer significantly without the uniquely crucial contributions of their respective star players. And the comparison should end there.</p>
<p>Basketball fans in the state of Utah are incredibly fortunate to be able to watch Tyler Haws and Delon Wright — two of the very best in the nation in filling their specific roles — step on the court and go to work for their teams, night in and night out. This is a special opportunity that doesn't come around these parts too often. Rather than wasting time trying to force a definitive comparison of these two excellent players that is literally impossible to obtain, we should just appreciate each of them for who they are and what they're doing to help their team win games.</p>
<p>But most of all, we should sit back and enjoy the show — because no matter which side of the rivalry you're on, it's a pretty great show right now. Don't miss it.</p>
https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/byu-cougars-basketball/2014/12/10/7365583/best-player-utah-tyler-haws-delon-wright-utes-roleSteve Pierce2014-12-09T15:00:02-08:002014-12-09T15:00:02-08:00CougarCast: BYU Basketball vs. #13 Utah, @Weber St
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GpaTJc7NDk3rxW9EAXxdmRjQmao=/0x163:1987x1488/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44305692/usa-today-8255205.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Listen as Keith and Tosh preview the lone rivalry game against #13 Utah, and the following matchup against Weber State.</p> <p>Wednesday is the lone chance fans will get to see BYU and Utah play a rivalry game in the two major college sports, and it is bigger than usual. Utah is ranked 13th in the nation coming off a huge win over Wichita State. Delon Wright, Jordan Loveridge, and Jakob Poeltl provide a substantial challenge to Tyler Haws, Kyle Collinsworth, and Chase Fischer.</p>
<p>In this episode:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Utah both defend and play offense very well. (1:35)</span></li>
<li><span>Appreciating Tyler Haws, Kyle Collinsworth, and Chase Fischer (3:00)</span></li>
<li>Anson Winder is a great example of the value of not transferring. (8:05)</li>
<li>Luke Worthington is key to getting defensive stops. (10:15)</li>
<li>BYU is scoring in half-court, but teams are starting to anticipate some sets. (11:50)</li>
<li>A look at the University of Utah personnel: a big Austrian and deadly arsenal from deep. (15:30)</li>
<li>A look at Weber State University's season. (21:23)</li>
<li>With wins, what does that mean for BYU? (24:35)</li>
<li>BYU-Utah matchups: Collinsworth vs. Wright, Haws vs. Loveridge, Poeltl vs. Worthkaufustin (25:20)</li>
<li>How much is home court worth? (28:25)</li>
<li>Game and score predictions (29:55)</li>
</ul>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Looking for more podcasting fun? Of course you are! <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zone-leaders/id921223891?mt=2" target="_blank">Check out VTF's Jake Welch and the internet's Zach Bloxham on the "Zone Leaders Podcast"</a></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>About The Show</b></p>
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<p>2002 Daily Herald Utah <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">County Name</span></span></span></span></span></span> of the Year Award Winner Tosh Mackintosh and Keith Shirts are two friends who bond over BYU Sports. Obsessed, passionate, and opinionated, they chop it up over BYU Hoops and Football.</p>
<p>Here are a few iTunes reviews of the show. Feel free to add yours.</p>
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https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/2014/12/9/7362535/cougarcast-byu-basketball-vs-13-utah-weber-stateKeith Shirts2014-12-09T06:00:02-08:002014-12-09T06:00:02-08:00What you need to know: BYU vs Utah
<figure>
<img alt="Tyler Haws and Delon Wright, two of the best players in the country, will square of in the Marriott Center" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RrLZispr9TaMHQPH9hEiY-JfKyk=/0x248:2298x1780/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44296412/usa-today-7616557.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tyler Haws and Delon Wright, two of the best players in the country, will square of in the Marriott Center | Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With a top 15 team coming into the Marriott Center, how will the Cougars react?</p> <p></p>
<h3><b>The History</b></h3>
<p>On Wednesday the next edition of the <a href="https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">BYU Cougars</a> vs <a href="https://www.blocku.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Utes</a> rivalry will come back to Provo as the teams meet in the Marriott Center. The two teams have met 255 times with BYU holding the slight edge 129-126. The series started in 1909 and has continued to be hard fought in the games since. Right now the Cougars have the upper hand after winning eight of the last 10 meetings, but they received a beating in the Huntsman Center last year.</p>
<h4><b><i>Salt Lake City, UT 2013 (64-81)</i></b></h4>
<p>After going into the Huntsman Center with all the hype, the Cougars fell flat on their faces as they allowed the rival Utes to walk all over them in an 81-64 rout. Utah started strong building an 18-5 lead and built it to 23 in the second half. <span>Tyler Haws</span> led all Cougars with 14 points as the Cougars shot only 32 percent from the field. <span>Eric Mika</span> was ejected late in the second half for a flagrant 2 foul and the Cougars could never get into a rhythm on offense or defense.</p>
<h3><b>The Outlook</b></h3>
<p>This past Saturday, the Cougars started off slow in the first half once again, but made up the difference in the second. The Cougars continue to lead the nation in scoring as their 90-point outing versus Hawaii only dropped them to 94.6 points per game. The rough starts have become all too commonplace, but some of the sting is taken away with the wins and dominating second half performances. If the Cougars can't find a way to correct this trend, the rest of the season could be rough with teams like Utah, Stanford, UMass and Gonzaga still to come</p>
<h4><b><i>The Positives</i></b></h4>
<p>For the second straight game the Cougars free throw shooting was outstanding. With another shooting percentage in the 80s the Cougars are making teams second guess their decision to foul. The 23 of 27 free therow shooting wasn't as impressive as the numbers from the Utah State game, but for a team that has struggled at the line it is a welcome change for the fans.</p>
<p>BYU is usually pretty good about sharing the ball, but against the Rainbow Warriors the Cougars played it to perfection. En route to the Cougars 90 points they hit 29 shots. Of those 29 shots the Cougars assisted on 23 of them. Once again the Cougars were led by <span>Kyle Collinsworth</span> as he dished out 10 assists and recorded the Cougars first triple double (19 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in 26 years.</p>
<h4><b><i>The Negatives</i></b></h4>
<p>Turnovers hit the Cougars hard against Hawaii as they ended the game with 19, 13 of which were Hawaii steals. In one sequence of the game the Cougars managed turnovers on four straight possessions. Normally turnovers are a strength for BYU so it will be interesting to see how the team responds.</p>
<p>A trending concern with the Cougars is the lack of a presence in the paint. The Cougars recorded only three blocked shots on Saturday and all three were by guards. <span>Nate Austin</span> and <span>Luke Worthington</span> each played less than 15 minutes and Corbin Kaufusi played 16. As BYU's opponents become more physical throughout the season, BYU will need to throw its muscle around and start getting some offense and defense from its big guys.</p>
<h3><b>The Match-up</b></h3>
<h4><i>Utah Defense vs. BYU Offense</i></h4>
<p>The 13/14<sup>th</sup> ranked Utes are much improved from what BYU fans remember from a couple of years ago. Similar to their football team, defense is the backbone for the Utes and will win them a number of games. The Utes rank 25<sup>th</sup> in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 56.9 points per game, 7<sup>th</sup> in blocks per game with 6.9, and rank in the top 50 in defensive rebounds. With the Cougars bringing in the top scoring offense and assisting offense (20 assists per game) in the country, the clash between offense and defense should be an instant classic and the Cougars will need to use every advantage they can muster up.</p>
<h3><b>The Keys to Watch</b></h3>
<h4><i>When the Utes have the ball:</i></h4>
<p>Watch for the Utes to take smart, high percentage shots on offense. As a team they are shooting over 52 percent from the field, which is good enough for 8<sup>th</sup> in the country. Due in large part to their shooting percentage, the Utes are averaging over 80 points per game and almost 16 assists. Watch for senior guard <span>Delon Wright</span> to lead the team against the Cougars. Wright is averaging 15 points per game and 5.1 assists. He is hitting on almost 58 percent of his shots, including almost 47 percent from behind the arc. He isn't the only offense for the Utes, but he is a big part of it. Watch for him to take on an even larger role as <span>Jordan Loveridge</span> is out with an injury and the Utes look to replace Loveridge's 11.5 points per game. Watch for Jakob Poeltl to make his presence known inside as he averages almost a double-double with 12 points and 9.6 rebounds. Watch for the Utes rotation to allow a number of players to get their hands on the ball and make a difference, and forcing the Cougars to defend.</p>
<p>Watch for the Cougars to force the Utes into lower percentage shots and not give up the easy ones. Don't be surprised if the BYU bigs use up all their allotted fouls as they force the Utes to hit from the free throw line where they are only shooting 66.7 percent as a team. Watch for the Cougars to put a bit more pressure on the ball handler as they try to knock the ball away and increase the turnovers on a team that averages 13 turnovers per game. Watch for the Cougars to use their bench to throw out new looks and defensive options at an offense that could explode at any time.</p>
<h4><i>When the Cougars have the ball:</i></h4>
<p>Watch for the Cougars to share the ball even more than usual as they make the extra pass in order to break the tough Utah defense. Watch for more pull up jump shots and less drives to the basket when the Utes shot blockers are on the court, as the Cougars look to avoid the momentum killing blocked shots. Watch for Collinsworth to continue his torrid pace of 5.8 assists per game as he finds the open shooters like Haws, <span>Chase Fischer</span>, and Winder. Watch for the Cougars to push the pace as much as possible and protect the ball better than they did against Hawaii.</p>
<p>Watch for the Utes to let the Cougars know early that driving to the paint is a worthless endeavor. If the paint can be declared off limits by the Utes shot blockers, watch the defense to sag a bit as they push the Cougars further and further out of the comfort zones. Watch for the defense to limit Haws, but not stop him. The Utes know that if Haws scores twenty but the rest of the team struggles, Utah will be in a position to win the game. They won't make the mistake of trying to stop one player at the expense of letting the others run wild.</p>
<h3><b>The Broadcasting Details</b></h3>
<p>Time: 7 pm MST</p>
<p>Where: Marriott Center- Provo, Utah</p>
<p>TV: ESPNU</p>
<p>Radio (BYU): KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM, BYU Radio-Sirius XM 143</p>
<p>Listen Live via Internet (KSL): <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=16">Click Here</a></p>
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https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/byu-cougars-basketball/2014/12/9/7354847/what-you-need-to-know-byu-vs-utah-basketball-editionKevin Kennedy