Utah Unable To Overcome BYU, Stars Shine In 89-84 Game
Jan 10, 2026, 10:12 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm
Jan 10, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) defends Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
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SALT LAKE CITY — There’s nothing casual about this one. Utah Runnin’ Utes welcome in-state rival BYU Cougars — ranked No. 9 — on Saturday night inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center, as the Holy War tips off its first chapter of the season at 8 p.m.
This is meeting No. 267 in a rivalry that refuses to cool off. Utah holds a razor-thin edge in conference matchups (119–118), while BYU leads the overall series (135–131). History says chaos is always on the table.
It’s also a night shaped by the sidelines. Kevin Young has BYU rolling with pace, spacing, and modern shot math. Alex Jensen continues to build and navigate his first season leading Utah.
Fans watching from home will hear Dave Flemming on the call, with former Bruin Sean Farnham breaking it down — but the real noise will come from the floor, where bragging rights, momentum, and pride are very much in play.
Buckle up. This one never stays normal.
First Half – Utah vs BYU
Utah controlled the tip and Terrence Brown knocked down a pull-up jumper. Keba Keita had a lob attempt broken up by James Okonkwo, who then finished on the other end with a dunk. As BYU pushed it the other way, Keita had an easy look at a dunk and was stuffed by the rim. On the other end, Terrence Brown scored and was fouled, converting the free throw with it to give Utah a 7-0 lead.
.@kingjmo_32 finds open space for the transition DUNK❗️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/FxGmLXwV4q
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 11, 2026
Then BYU got going with Rob Wright 3-pointer. Following two more Brown free throws, BYU scored a quick seven points to take a brief lead, but Brown got a layup to go to give the Utes an 11-10 advantage at the first media timeout.
BOOM. pic.twitter.com/fwh19SMOfN
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 11, 2026
After the first media timeout, Ritchie Saunders gave the Cougars and lead with a layup. AJ Dybantsa went to the free throw line and added split a pair, giving Utah a 13-11 lead.
Then, in his first action as a Runnin’ Ute, Lucas Langarita knocked down his first attempt, a right wing 3-pointer to give the Utes the lead again.
First career basket as a Ute for @LucasLangarita is a 3⃣#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/UnUMi2IEHN
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 11, 2026
Following the second media timeout, Keanu Dawes went to line and split the pair. Following a Saunders miss on the other end, Utah pushed the other way, which resulted in a Seydou Traore layup. After another stop, Traore scored another bucket to give Utah a 19-16 lead.
After a Wright pull-up in the paint, Don McHenry was fouled on a 3-point attempt, and converted all three free throws to give Utah a 22-18 lead. Wright then scored a layup on the other end. Then, Dawes threw down a dunk with authority.
.@keanu_28 OH MY‼️😱
Keanu Dawes' high-flying slam extends our lead to 24-20
📺@ESPN#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/1L8QLl9gA8
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 11, 2026
BYU’s Wright and Dybantsa got it going though. Following those free throws, Wright got a layup to fall, then Dybantsa scored six-straight, which included an alley oop finish, and that gave the Cougars a 26-24 lead at the next media timeout.
More like Lob Lake City tonight, y'all @AJ_Dybantsa
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/T0JfQdOJ3Y
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 11, 2026
Following the break, the two teams went back and forth with scores. Wright converted a big 3-pointer to extend BYU’s lead. Okonkwo added another dunk to his tally. Kennard Davis connected on a 3-pointer of his own but McHenry answered on the other end with a 3-pointer of his own. Saunders and Davis each knocked down a 3-pointer, while McHenry answered them both on the other end before Kendyl Sanders converted one of his own.
Strong hands from @joshuahayes53 sets up the @DonMcHenry4 trey😤
📺@ESPN#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/GvYvUG3aLH
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 11, 2026
That sent the game to the final media timeout with 2:52 left and BYU holding a 40-37 lead.
After the timeout, both teams had empty possessions, before Brown knocked down a midrange jumper. Abdullah Ahmed was fouled and converted 1-of-2 from the line. Then, Traore converted a midrange jumper, Wright got a layup on the other end. Brown got a tough, contested layup to fall.
Then, with .3 seconds left, Dybantsa was fouled on a 3-point attempt and converted 2-of-3, giving BYU a 45-43 advantage going into halftime.
Halftime: BYU 45, Utah 43
Seven turnovers stands out for BYU. Utah has only scored eight points off of those turnovers.
BYU guard Rob Wright had a strong first half, 15 points, three assists. pic.twitter.com/cjIFClm7hx
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 11, 2026
Second Half – Utah vs BYU
To start the second frame, the Cougars scored the first four points— Dybantsa with a smooth jumper, and Ritchie adding a layup through contact.
Finally after two minutes of action, Dawes was fouled and went to the line converting both attempts for Utah’s first points of the half. However, BYU scored another quick four points— Keita with a putback slam on a Dybantsa miss.
Keba Keita putback slam dunk.
Tone-setter in the second half. pic.twitter.com/WzHcFKOkDp
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 11, 2026
After a defensive stop, BYU pushed it the other way and Saunders scored a reverse layup. That forced an early timeout from coach Jensen, as the Cougars pushed their lead to 53-45 with 16:53 left in the half.
Following the timeout, the Cougars continued to push the lead with Dybantsa and Saunders each adding another layup. That gave the Cougars a 59-45 lead before Brown connected on a pull-up jumper.
After the first media timeout of the half, Utah scored consecutive baskets thanks to a tip-in from Josh Hayes and an Obomate Abbey transition layup off a steal.
BYU then scored five straight with Saunders knocking down a 3-pointer, and Keita throwing down another ferocious dunk off of a Utah turnover. McHenry answered with a jumper and then after a defensive stop on the other end, he was fouled on a floater attempt by Keita.
That sent the game to the second media break of the half with BYU holding a 64-55 lead and McHenry set to shoot two free throws after the break.
The bucket + the foul
Richie with 19 so far pic.twitter.com/wrISDiRNDT
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 11, 2026
At the line, McHenry converted 1-of-2 to cut BYU’s lead to eight. However, the Cougars quickly pushed that lead back out to 13 points following a Saunders’ 3-point play and a Dybantsa jumper.
Sanders answered on the other end with a corner 3-pointer. Then, Traore intercepted a pass and was fouled on a layup attempt, knocking down both free throws. After a defensive stop, Brown pushed it the other way for a fast break layup but Wright came right back with a layup of his own on the other end.
Then, Abbey got a layup to fall over the outstretched arms of Ahmed. On the other end, McHenry intercepted a pass, took it the other way and was fouled on a layup, converting the extra free throw to make it a 73-68 game.
WHAT A SEQUENCE BY @DonMcHenry4🥶
He snatches a steal and converts it into an and-1 layup to get us within five.
📺@ESPN#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/XCK1eu7cX6
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 11, 2026
After Saunders was fouled on a layup attempt, he converted of 1-of-2 at the charity stripe. McHenry then got to the rim and had a layup attempt whistled for goaltending to make it a 74-70 game.
Following a pair of Davis free throws, Brown knocked down a jumper, Utah registered a stop and Traore was fouled going to the line and converting 1-of-2. Saunders quickly responded with a big offensive rebound and putback, then Wright added a layup after a defensive stop.
MTO 3:35 – Utah 78, BYU 80
The crowd has made a huge difference for this Utah squad. There's continued to be contributions from multiple players, six different players have scored in the last five minutes, and the Utes have chipped away at this lead. https://t.co/tj7OZegagf
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) January 11, 2026
However, Utah scored five straight with Sanders knocking down a corner 3-pointer and Dawes throwing down another dunk off. Dybantsa was fouled, which sent the game to the final media timeout, and he’d shoot 1+1 at the line after the break.
After hitting on 1-of-2 from the line, Brown was fouled on the other end, where he connected on both to make it a 81-80 game.
On BYU’s ensuing possession, Wright had an open 3-point attempt but missed, however, the Cougars secured the offensive rebound and Wright was fouled on a layup attempt. He made both free throws.
After a Utah shot clock violation, Wright connected on a jumper to extend BYU’s lead to 85-80. McHenry got to the line and made both to keep Utah close. Following a Keita layup, Utah called a timeout.
Over the final couple of minutes Wright, Keita and Saunders made the plays they needed and Utah was unable to overcome the Cougars in the end. BYU secured an 89-84 victory over the Utes.
