BYU, Utah clash on Saturday in Salt Lake

PROVO, Utah - The rivalry is back this week as BYU travels to Salt Lake City to take on Utah on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Huntsman Center. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT. 

WHERE TO WATCH
Saturday's game can be found on ESPN+ with Roxy Bernstein and Tim Welsh on the call. 

SAME RIVALRY, NEW CONFERENCE
Saturday will be the 265th all-time meeting between the two schools that are seperated by less than 50 miles. BYU leads the all-time series 134-130 with 16 of those wins coming at the Huntsman Center.

Saturday also marks the Cougars' first conference game against the Utes in Salt Lake City since Jimmer Fredette finished with 47 points in a 104-79 BYU win on January 11, 2011. 

January 11, 2011: BYU Senior Jimmer Fredette goes off against Utah scoring 47 points (16-28 FG, 6-9 3PT, 9-9 FT) in a 104-79 Cougars win. pic.twitter.com/BzJIMGnqx0

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) January 12, 2022

PRETTY STRONG ROTATION
If you were drafting a fantasy baseball team, Trevin Knell would be a strong pick for a starter while you would want Dawson Baker coming out of the bullpen with the game on the line.

so smooth with it pic.twitter.com/xVqbJz1p2E

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 15, 2025

Knell, who ranks third on the team in scoring, has scored 104 of his 162 points this season in the first half, including a 13-point performance in BYU's win over Oklahoma State on Tuesday. It marked the third time this season and ninth time in his career he has scored in double figures in the opening 20 minutes.

Baker on the other hand has scored 88 of his 133 points in the second half. He has scored 10 or more three times in the second stanza, which includes a 17-point outburst in his 22-point peformance against Queens earlier this season. 

NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
The Cougars rank seventh in NCAA Division I men's basketball and first in the Big 12 in rebound margin at 10.3. They are 11-2 this season when outrebounding opponents. 

CATCH, SHOOT, CELEBRATE
Speaking of Knell, he enters Saturday's contest at Utah one 3-pointer away from becoming the seventh player in program history with 200 career makes from behind the arc. He shoots 39.3 percent from 3-point range for his career which is the 15th highest in program history. 

The showdown against the Utes will be his 131st appearance, tying him for the 12th most in program history with Lee Cummard, Chris Miles and Luke Worthington. 

NO NEED TO START RUSSIAN IT
Egor Demin came alive in the second half of Tuesday's win over Oklahoma State as the freshman scored all of his 10 points in the final 20 minutes to fend off the Cowboys. Prior to that performance, he had scored a combined 14 points in his previous four Big 12 games. 

The 6-foot-9 guard is one of four freshman in NCAA Division I men's basketball to average over 5.0 assists per game as he ranks second in the Big 12 behind Texas Tech's Elijah Hawkins.

SAUNDERS STREAK
Richie Saunders is averaging a team-high 13.7 points per game for the Cougars, shooting 52.1 percent from the field, 43.2 percent from three and 74.3 percent from the free throw line. He is one of five players in the Big 12 this season to score 30 or more in a game this season after his career-high 30-point performance against Arizona State in the league opener. 

If the junior scores in double figures on Saturday it will mark the first time in his career that he has scored 10 or more points in three consecutive games.

UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR
The time for BYU's game against Cincinnati on Saturday, Jan. 25, was moved back to 8:30 p.m. MT. 

The game originally slated for 8 p.m. will still air on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein and King McClure on the call.