Utah Cancels 2016 Men’s Basketball Game with BYU

Utah informed BYU that it would not play in the scheduled men’s basketball game in 2016 at Provo’s Marriott Center between the two teams.

This announcement comes following the most recent game between the two that ended in controversy when Nick Emery a freshman with BYU punched Brandon Taylor a guard for Utah near the end of the game. BYU’s Emery received an ejection from the game and an automatic suspension for one game.

In a prepared statement, Larry Krystkowiak the head coach for Utah said that the events that took place in the recent game between our men’s basketball team and BYU led me to request Dr. Hill, out athletic director a number of weeks ago if the rivalry could be put on hold for a period to cool things off.

The Utah coach continued in his statement by saying that emotions have reached a level where there could be the potential for a serious injury to occur. Coach Krystkowiak said the school’s AD supported him in having next year’s game cancelled against BYU.

Utah contacted BYU just days after the game on December 3. Utah spoke with Coach Dave Rose, the BYU head coach who did not agree with the Utah decision.

Rose said he did not agree because the players, fans and students in the area all want to see the rivalry of many years continue.

Utah must pay a guarantee fee of $80,000 for breaking this contract, according to BYU’s head coach Rose.

Rose has signed a deal of four years with Jim Boylen the former Utah head coach and wanted another four year goal to be signed with Krystkowiak, but the Utah head coach would sign just for two years.

Rose said that in 32 years of coaching basketball at different levels that this was the first time that any agreement via a handshake, verbal or a written contract has not been fully completed.

Utah has been victorious in the past three games against BYU, but the Cougars lead the overall series 129-128.

BYU announced that it has already started to move ahead in search of replacing Utah on next season’s schedule.

Utah has said that it would look into resuming the longstanding rivalry at some time in the future.

Following the controversial ending of the game earlier this season, barbs continued to be tossed on social media as fans from both schools sparred during the night and into the following day about the cause and circumstances of the punching incident.

The series has been known to be chippy, with an ejection in 2013 by BYU and in 2010 a Utah player was ejected for hitting a BYU player.