From: ewstroup@cc.utah.edu (ERIC W. STROUP)
Subject: Utah nips BYU (@ BYU) 54-53
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: University of Utah Computer Center
Date: 11 Jan 1993 10:47 MST  

Utah 54, BYU 53

(No box included - mail me for it....I can't find my paper!!!)

I think my paper is burried under the snow on my porch.  I know what Noah
would have felt like with 40days/nights of snow.  

Ski conditions on the campus are 18" of NEW snow, powder&packed powder.
All lifts closed for the day.

Anyway, the game was played down in Provo at the Marriott Center in front of
23,000 screaming BYU fans.  The Marriott center is a difficult place to play
due to its capacity, sound design, and light back ground (tough to shoot).
Utah was not able to drive down (30 miles) on friday for a shoot around due
to the road conditions (damn snow!!).  They decided to arrive a little early
on Saturday and shoot a bit extra.  The result was terrible shooting by the 
Utes.  Phil dixon was 0-9 shooting until he hit a shot with 3 seconds left
to give Utah the victory.

BYU led 4-0 early after Utah came up with nothing in its first three
possessions. Phil Dixon air-balled a 3 on the second possession.  I thought
that it was going to be a very bad night if they kept shooting that bad.  Well,
they did continue shooting crappy. Utah shot 30% for the game - and still won.

Utah missed all kinds of open shots, but used solid defense to hold BYU to 
poor shooting(43%).  Utah's defense in the first half focused on not letting
BYU's big men have the ball alone at the post.  Utah also used its quickness
to create alot of turnovers (11 for BYU in the first half).  Utah's offense
was sputtering, but the plan was good.  They used their quickness to drive in
and then dish to an open man.  Unfortunately the open man usually missed the
shot.  Utah was 0-9 from 3's in the first half. Utah only shot 32% in the first
half.  Soto was the high scorer in the first half with 6, BYU's Randy Reid had
5 points for the cougars.  Reid had been shooting about 39% from the floor
coming into the game, but hit his first three shots.    Utah also crashed
the boards hard.  Josh Grant had 6 reb's in the first half, and Utah out 
rebounded the bigger cougars 24-17 in the first half.  Utah had 8 offensive 
rebound's in the first half.  The Utes ended up with 17 more shots then the 
cougars in the first half due to turnovers and rebounds.

One thing that was very apparent from the first half, was that Jimmy Soto was 
way too quick for any of BYU's guards.  He took Reid and Christiansen with 
his first step every time.

Utah led at the half 28-23.

Utah started the second half the same way as it did the first with a missed 
shot and a turnover.  BYU, however, decided to push the ball into Trost.  
Gary Trost did a great job of getting position and also of finishing.  He hit
three shots in a row.  Utah replied with some mixed defenses and by putting 
more pressure on the guards.  Utah used a box-and-one on Sanderson and had 
the Cougars slowed for a bit.  The problem was that Randy Reid drained a few
jumpers.  Utah began to get into a bit of trouble in the second half, but
really hung in.  They had alot more turnovers as the Cougars turned up the 
pressure on defense.  The Utes also had a few charging calls.  A couple were
obvious, but a couple were questionable.  Byron Wilson (6-2) went up for a 
monster dunk over Trost (6-10), but it was an tremendous collision.  Byron
was definitely out of control.  Byron got his fourth foul early in the second
half, but Majerus left him in.  Grant also picked up a fourth foul, but he was
also left in.  Neither player fouled out.

The game came down to the last minute.  Utah was up by 1.  BYU had the ball 
and was working it around.  It appeared that they were trying to get it inside
or get Sanderson a shot.  Wilson tipped the ball into the back court, but
was unable to come up with it after a mad scramble on the floor (Byron had 
four fouls already).  BYU hustled it into the front court with only 15 seconds
left on the shot clock.  Sanderson got the ball and drove from the right side 
across the top of the key and into the lane on the left side.  He was 
surrounded by Utes with their hands up, but he put up a shot that went in to 
give BYU a one point lead with about 30 seconds left.  Utah came down and 
tried to run a two-man game with Jimmy Soto and Josh Grant.  BYU had it 
defensed well.  Jimmy saw Phil Dixon open on the right.  He passed him the
ball.  Phil  gave his man a ball fake, dribbled around him into the lane and
hit a fall away jumper with 3 seconds left to give Utah a one point lead.
BYU's last second shot by Sanderson was way off.

Utah ended up shooting a woeful 30% for the game.  BYU 37%.
Utah out rebounded the bigger cougars (don't remember the margin)
Utah had 12 offensive rebounds.

Utah takes over sole possession of first place in the WAC with a 10-2 record,
3-0 in conference play.  BYU drops to 9-5 and 2-1.

COMMENTS:
	UTAH:

Josh Grant had a good game although he wasn't shooting very well and had some
foul calls go against him.  He had 14 rebounds for the game (5 offensive).
He played good defense (not a very usual ocurrence).  He had 6 turnovers in his
37 minutes, but a few of those were questionable calls.

Jimmy Soto is just too quick for anyone on BYU's team.  I also fail to see how
his little scoup shot can get over all those big guys down in the paint.  
Jimmy had a good night leading the team.  He had only one turnover in 36 mins.

Byon Wilson got into foul trouble early, but still played a gritty game.  He is
not very tall (6-2), but his is so muscular (220lbs) that he can bang inside 
with the big guys.  He had 2 offensive rebounds.  

Phil Dixon was absolutely horrible in shooting, until that last shot.  Phil
air balled two 3's.  Dixon was hitting 53% from 3's coming into the game.
Phil however played good defense.  He covered Nick Sanderson most of the night
and held him to 6 points (only 2 baskets).  

Larry Cain played hard, but was really out muscled inside.  Larry only weighs
212 soaking wet, and he was against Trost (235) most of the night.


	BYU:

Gary Trost had a good game.  He is a very good player.  He really gets good
inside position and is good at finishing.  He has a very quick drop step.

Jarred Miller also had a good game.  He is simply a big guy. He was really 
banging inside.

Nick Sanderson seamed lost for most of the game.  He took some really bad
shots and was not a factor until that last shot.  Phil Dixon's defense could
be part of the reason.

Randy Reid had a hot shooting night, but his inexperience showed against
Soto.  He should get better, howver, I was more impressed with Christiansen
then him.


-Eric
ewstroup@cc.utah.edu