BYU women’s basketball will make the drive up to Salt Lake City on Saturday to take on the Utes in the Huntsman Center at 2 p.m.
This will be the second meeting for these two teams this season. BYU took the win in the first matchup at home, 77-65, in January.
Comparing the two teams, both are sitting at 17-10 overall, but Utah leads in conference play with an 8-7 record. The Cougars are 6-9 in conference play.
Another interesting stat leading into this game is acknowledging Utah’s recent win over Cincinnati at home.
The Cougars are coming off a tough loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats at-home despite a combined effort from Gibb and Hamlin to put together 36 points. This gives the Utes some leverage over the Cougars as they host BYU on their home court.
Despite this pressure, BYU vs. Utah is a rivalry game that is always filled with heated competition and high emotions.
BYU will look to bring a consistent defensive force with it up north. The Cougars have struggled to withstand offensive outbursts against opposing teams as games develop.
BYU will need to balance containing Utah’s attack with cleaning up missed shots to help control possessions. The key to the Cougars' play will be starting fast and maintaining pressure.
Creating a strong tempo from the beginning of the game will make it hard for Utah to build early leads. BYU will have the opportunity to do this by putting every player on the court to use.
Drawing up the game plan around solely Hamlin and Gibbs will not put the Cougars on top. They will need to find other options and utilize every outlet on the court.
With conference play wrapping up, every game carries weight. A road win at Utah would provide a much-needed boost as BYU looks to solidify its standing in the Big 12.
Rivalry games like these come down to discipline and execution in the final minutes. If BYU can tighten its defense, share the scoring load and control the tempo, the Cougars will put themselves in position to leave the Huntsman Center with a win.