It was announced today by Utah basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak that they will not visit the Marriott Center in 2016 for the regular rivarly matchup against BYU basketball.
BYU basketball released a statement made by head coach Dave Rose speaking about the cancellation of the long lasting yearly matchup between the Utes and Cougars. Rose said he doesn't disagree with the decision according to the release. Nothing was said as to why the game was cancelled. He also said that he knows fans and players would like to see the long standing rivarly continue. Who doesn't?
Since Utah joined the Pac-12 conference, there has been somewhat of a struggle to continue the rivarly play between BYU and Utah in primarily football. It seems that basketball has fallen victim too to this confusing relationship between the two schools that are separted by only 45 minutes of freeway. The yearly matchup for basketball goes back to 1909. The Utes and Cougars have played each other every year since then with the exception of 1944 due to World War II. According to the NCAA record book, the rivarly is tied for the seventh longest in college basketball history.
Amidst all this confusion, a question still remains, why has scheduling the fan-favorite rivarly game become so difficult between the two schools? Utah AD Chris Hill said in 2013 of the basketball rivalry, "We know we’re going to play every year.” Why has that changed all of a sudden? Other rivarly schools that are a part of different conferences, like Florida and Florida State, continue their rivarly matchups year after year. So why can't BYU and Utah do the same?
Regardless of these troubles, fans can only hope that the basketball rivarly will continue as football as.
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