THE UTAH UTES GET THE "W" ON RIVALRY NIGHT VS THE BYU COUGARS #HOLYWAR

                 One of the biggest rivalries in college sports just got even bigger. The BYU cougars took on the Utah Utes Wednesday night on their home court. Fans expected an intense game with OT’S, clutch shots, and game winning plays; however, the Cougars did not bring their end of the bargain. With constant turnovers, poor defense, slow transitioning offense, and lack of physicality, the Utes were able to gain a 20 point plus lead in the first half.  The cougars had gotten into foul trouble early in the game, even with a 2-3 zone defense. With poor spacing on the defensive side of the court, the Utes were able to easily find open gaps and attack the rim with ease. The cougars could not move fast enough to cover the outside perimeter, which allowed open three point shots for the Utes as well. This forced the cougars to switch defensive zones. David Rose quickly called a time out and switched the cougars 2-3 Zone to a 1-3-1; covering the outside perimeter to stop the Utes from getting easy buckets from the three point line. This did not however, stop their foul trouble. Offensively, the Cougars physicality was far from sufficient. The Utes man to man defensive made the Cougars uncomfortable, which forced them to make turnovers or plays they did not want to make. Cougar’s best player, Kyle Collinsworth, also known as “Mr. Triple Double”, struggled getting an open shot from inside and outside the perimeter; nevertheless, drawing a foul was not an issue for him. Collinsworth was able to get himself to the free throw line, which caused a problem for Utah. He was the only player that the Utes did not have an answer for.

           Going into the second half, the cougars had picked up their act and began to play solid basketball, but only for a short time. What stopped their momentum was Jakob Poeltl, center for the Utah Utes. Poeltl dominated the floor offensively and defensively. The Cougars could not find an answer the big man’s strength, length, and speed. Poeltl finished the game strong with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 Blocks; an amazing performance which earned him the close shave player of the game with an 11/16 FG. A well-earned reward for the big man. 
          Sadly, this game did not end with class. As minutes began fading away, Nick Emery, starting point guard for the Cougars, intentionally sucker punched #11 Brandon Taylor; point guard for the Utes. Nick was given a flagrant foul 2 and an ejection from the game. His questionable character has led him to a suspension which could ruin BYU’s chances of winning their next game, given the fact that he is BYU’s only good ball handler. After Emery’s ejection, and Kyle Collinsworth and Corbin Kaufusi being fouled out from the game, the Utes were able to play with confidence, knowing the night would end triumphantly. The Cougars however, did not give up. Coach Rose directed his team to run a 2-2-1 full court press. This allowed the Cougars to finish the game with only an 8 point deficit. A disappointing loss for the Cougars, and a glorious night for the Utes. The Utah pulled out with an 83-75 victory, and the Holy War was finally over.
Written by Thomas Mier 
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