Utes, Cougars eager for annual rivalry hoops meeting Saturday


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SALT LAKE CITY — Lynne Roberts had never experienced anything like the BYU-Utah rivalry before taking the head post over the Utes’ women’s basketball program.

The former Pacific coach knew BYU, of course. But she didn’t understand the deep-seated fervor in a community-driven game like one that some called “the Holy War.”

So she did what any good employee of a public university would do before last year’s contest: she painted her mailbox red — the one directly between two BYU-fan families.

“The community involvement in this matchup isn’t like anything I’ve experienced,” Roberts told the media before Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. tipoff at the Huntsman Center. “You’re either on one side of the fence or the other. The fans are committed. It makes it fun.”

Roberts’ neighbors gave her some good-natured ribbing after the Cougars’ 73-59 win in Provo a year ago.

She’s hoping to get some payback this time.

“It’s a fun rivalry and the players are excited,” she said. “It certainly isn’t as important as a Pac-12 game because it doesn’t carry that kind of weight, but there’s a community pride on the line. It’s fun to be around this rivalry, and we’re excited to play.”

BYU women’s hoops coach Jeff Judkins, who played at Utah before moving on to the NBA, knows what to expect whenever his teams play the Utes.

Judkins is familiar with what to expect when his team travels to Salt Lake City: the Utes are 30-12 all-time against BYU in the Huntsman Center, though the Cougars won 60-56 the last time they played “up north,” Dec. 13, 2014.

Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah may have the upper hand, returning four starters from a year ago and entering the matchup with a pristine 8-0 record. The Utes are led by Emily Potter, who averages 16.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

“We’ve got to shut down Potter,” Judkins said. “She’s playing really well.”

BYU is led by Cassie Broadhead’s 14.4 points per game, do-everything post Kalani Purcell’s 12.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists, and Makenzi Pulsipher’s 13.1 points and 2.1 steals.

With the absence of the men’s basketball series in 2016-17, Saturday will be the only matchup between the two schools on the hardwood.

That makes the series even more important — for the local products on both rosters, and those who have been adopted into the rivalry series.

“I look forward to that game,” said Pulsipher, who prepped at Alta. “There is no better feeling than beating a rival at their place. I feel like this game is always a battle. You expect everyone to always come out and battle.”

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