BYU/Utah Basketball Rivalry Lands On Holiday Weekend In 2021

SALT LAKE CITY – The first edition of the BYU/Utah basketball rivalry between Mark Pope and Craig Smith has a date.

Utah will host BYU at the Huntsman Center during the Thanksgiving weekend on Saturday, November 27, 2021. It’s the first meeting that will take place in November since the two programs left for separate leagues in 2011.

#BYU basketball will play at Utah on Saturday, November 27th. Earliest scheduled meeting between the two schools since switching leagues in 2011.#BYUHoops @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) August 11, 2021

This year’s meeting will mark the 262nd meeting all-time between the in-state rivals. BYU leads the all-time series 132-129, with the Cougars winning the last meeting a season ago, 82-64.

Mark Pope and Craig Smith have faced off two previous times when Smith was the head coach at Utah State. BYU won both of those games.

🚨SCHEDULE UPDATE🚨https://t.co/GaMgGvLiz0

— Utah Basketball🏀 (@UtahMBB) August 11, 2021

The November 27 date for BYU/Utah lands on the same weekend as the final regular season Saturday in college football. BYU will be playing USC on the gridiron that same day in Los Angeles. The Utes, on the other hand, will have a rivalry-filled weekend with Utah Football hosting Colorado at Rice-Eccles the day before on Friday, November 26.

During the off-season, both teams were active in the Transfer Portal in retooling their rosters. Smith’s first off-season with the Utes consisted of picking up six players out of the portal, headlined by Utah State transfer Marco Anthony, and Both Gach back again for his second stint in Salt Lake City.

LET'S DO IT. pic.twitter.com/EhZ8Qa3WP6

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) August 11, 2021

BYU was able to keep Honorable Mention All-American Alex Barcello back for a “super senior” season, and they paired him up with former Milwaukee and Illinois guard Te’Jon Lucas. The Cougars also received a pickup in LSU transfer Seneca Knight.

Neither team has released their entire non-conference schedules yet for the 2021-22 season.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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