It’s been 14 years since BYU basketball beat Utah State in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. It’s been so long that we’re recapping not only all of the failed attempts to beat the Aggies, but also the nation’s No. 1 movie and song at the time of the last seven Cougar trips to Logan.
Jan. 8, 2000: BYU 82, Utah State 73
The game: New junior college transfer Terrell Lyday lit the Aggies up for 35 points in his best game ever as a Cougar. His 11-for-17 shooting included six 3-pointers, guided the Cougars to what has remained their most recent win in Logan.
No. 1 song: “Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
No. 1 Movie: “Stuart Little”
This was Rob Thomas’ first big hit as the up-and-coming star of Matchbox Twenty, and he definitely owns this music video — even in an era struggling for effective voice syncing.
Dec. 1, 2001: BYU 81, Utah State 90 (OT)
The game: Travis Hansen scored 26 points, and Mark Bigelow added 21 in a valiant but losing effort against the Aggies. The Cougars had an 80-79 overtime lead before being outscored 11-1 the rest of the way.
No.1 song: “Family Affair” by Mary J. Blige
No. 1 movie: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
Watching Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson struggling to act is just as magical today as it was 13 years ago.
Dec. 23, 2003: BYU 74, Utah State 76
The game: The Cougars went into halftime facing a 26-point deficit, only for them to come roaring back in the second half. Mark Bigelow’s driving layup tied the game at 74 with 21 seconds left, only to be matched by Utah State’s Spencer Nelson’s layup with 1.2 seconds to go. The ensuing Cougar inbound was stolen to seal another devastating loss in the Spectrum.
No. 1 song: “Hey Ya!” by Outkast
No. 1 movie: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
I still feel like André 3000 playing all eight members of “The Love Below” is one of the greatest music video performances of all time. Plus, the song almost single-handedly revived the fading Polaroid camera industry for five more years before it was shut down in 2008. Skip to the 3:59 mark of the video for a reminder of how stylish they are.
Dec. 18, 2004: BYU 57, Utah State 71
The game: The 36-36 halftime tie looked promising for BYU, which outscored the Aggies 49-25 out of the locker rooms the previous year. But the Cougars shot 2-of-14 from the 3-point line in the second half and 32 percent overall in the second half, leading to a dominant Aggie win.
No. 1 song: “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell
No. 1 movie: “Oceans Twelve”
I couldn’t post the music video, but basically this is a song about girls, cars, drugs, gangs and killing people. The real shocker though: Pharrell had a career before Happy!?
Dec. 22, 2005: BYU 80, Utah State 91
The game: The Aggies jumped out to a 13-2 lead, which ultimately proved to be the difference in Dave Rose’s first trip to Logan as BYU’s head coach. Cougar senior Broch Reichner scored 26, and Rashaun Broadus added 21 in the loss.
No. 1 song: “Run It!” by Chris Brown
No. 1 movie: “King Kong”
Peter Jackson’s 187-minute film was too long, too creepy and too serious. Also, I like my Jack Black funny.
Dec. 2, 2009: BYU 61, Utah State 71
The game: After a four-year break in the series, junior Jimmer Fredette led the Cougars in their return trip to Logan. Fredette scored a pedestrian 19 points, while Chris Miles recorded 11 as the Cougars fought to a 39-38 second-half lead before eventually being overtaken by Jared Quayle and the Aggies.
No. 1 song: “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
No.1 movie: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”
I’m still foreign to “The Twilight Saga.” I haven’t read any of the books or seen any of the movies, and I don’t intend to. The following is my attempt to make sense of the “New Moon” trailer:
0:24: Is Edward really going to give up on Bella? The following conversation doesn’t quite have me convinced.
(Edward): “You just don’t belong in my world, Bella.”
(Bella): “I belong with you.”
(Edward): “This is the last time you’ll ever see me.”
(Bella): (Gasps!).
(Edward): “Just promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”
0:40: Are these your everyday, run-of-the-mill withdrawals that happen in every post-human-vampire relationship? Or are more sinister forces at play here?
0:56: Wait, Anna Kendrick is in this movie?!?!
0:58: If this really is the only way to see him again then I would seriously reevaluate this whole relationship.
1:17: Why are you so surprised? You did just jump off a cliff.
1:23: If you’d rather die than live without Bella, why leave her in the first place?
1:31: Thanks, girl who keeps forwarding the plot for us! Also, the Volturi seem like a bunch of real jerks.
1:51: We’re only 1:50 into this trailer, and the shirtless guy count is only at eight? I feel like there should be at least one more.
1:55: Now I’m satisfied.
Nov. 11, 2011: BYU 62, Utah State 69
The game: It was Brandon Davies’ first game back after being suspended for the team’s 2010–2011 Sweet Sixteen run. Davies only managed 13 points in his return, and the team as a whole shot 3-of-14 from the 3-point line. The Cougars somehow led 42-38 with ten minutes to go before the Aggies exploded on a six-minute 17-2 run to take the lead and the game.
No. 1 song: “Someone Like You” by Adele
No.1 movie: “Puss in Boots”
It really is time for some new Adele music. 2015 anyone?
