BYU's 73-72 overtime loss to the University of Utah in front of 15,558 at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City is going to sting for a long, long time, and not just because it came against the rival Utes.
As BYU coach Kevin Young noted after the game, which wasn't terribly well-played but was as entertaining as almost all of the rivalry games are, the Cougars can only blame themselves — which is why this one hurt so much.
Missed free throws in crunch time, a costly turnover and the inability to stop Utah early in the second half led to the Cougars' fourth loss in their past five games.
It was the Cougars' second overtime loss of the season, and the fourth time they have simply failed to finish down the stretch in a game that was there for the taking, just as the losses to Ole Miss, TCU and Texas Tech were.
Then there is the free-throw thing.
A lot of BYU fans will point to the whopping free-throw disparity — Utah took 32 freebies, while BYU got only 10, despite outscoring the Utes 42-38 in the paint and attacking the basket just as much as the Utes did.
But consider that BYU made only four of its 10 tries. Make a couple of those, and BYU probably wins this game in regulation.
Also, one of BYU's best free-throw shooters, super senior Trevin Knell, had a chance to give the Cougars the lead with 6.2 seconds left in the extra session, but bricked a free throw.
Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) celebrates after scoring a basket during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars center Keba Keita (13) knocks a shot by Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) out of the air during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Mason Madsen (45) drives the ball to the basket during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes players celebrate on the sidelines after scoring a basket during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Mike Sharavjamts (25) attempts to block a shot by Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) dribbles the ball down the court during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) puts up a shot while being guarded by Utah Utes forward Jake Wahlin (10) during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) drives to the basket while being guarded by Utah Utes guard Mike Sharavjamts (25) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dawson Baker (25) puts up a shot during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) and Brigham Young Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) both battle for a rebound during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) drives towards the basket to dunk the ball during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) dribbles the ball against Utah Utes guard Mason Madsen (45) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) puts up a shot while being guarded by Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars center Keba Keita (13), guarded by Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34), loses control of the ball while driving towards the basket during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) puts up a 3 during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) and Brigham Young Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) both battle for rebound during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) dunks the ball during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes forward Caleb Lohner (11) puts up a shot while being guarded by Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) dribbles the ball down the court during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars forward Kanon Catchings (6) reaches over Utah Utes guard Mason Madsen (45) for a loose ball during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars center Keba Keita (13) knocks a shot made by Utah Utes guard Mason Madsen (45) out of the air during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) attempts to drive through Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) and forward Mawot Mag (0) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) dribbles the ball down the court during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) dunks the ball during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) and Brigham Young Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) both compete in a tip off at the start of overtime during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Hunter Erickson (0) drives the ball to the hoop during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes guard Miro Little (1) celebrates with teammates after Utah's victory over the Brigham Young Cougars in a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kevin Young argues with a referee during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes fans taunt Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kevin Young after a referee call during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars teammates celebrate from the sideline after a 3-pointer by forward Mawot Mag (0) during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) steals the ball from Brigham Young Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) during a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utah Utes players celebrate after their victory over the Brigham Young Cougars after a basketball game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Trey Stewart (1) reaches for a loose ball against Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) and guard Gabe Madsen (55) during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars center Keba Keita (13) and Utah Utes center Lawson Lovering (34) both battle for a jump ball during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) dribbles towards the basket while being guarded by Utah Utes forward Jake Wahlin (10) during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) puts up a shot during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) puts up a shot while being guarded by Utah Utes forward Jake Wahlin (10) during a basketball game between the Utah Utes and the Brigham Young Cougars at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Of course, Utah was also miserable at the charity stripe, going 17 of 32. A bunch of Utah misses in the last three minutes of regulation, and in overtime, allowed BYU (11-6, 2-4) to stay in it.
"We had our chances, and on the road that's what you want to give yourself," Young told the BYU Sports Radio Network. "You want to give yourself a chance to win the basketball game. That's what we did tonight. We just didn't make enough plays, obviously."
Utah (11-6, 3-3) did, but just barely.
To add insult to injury, a former Cougar made the shot of the game. Guard Hunter Erickson's 3-pointer with 2:05 left in overtime knotted the score at 70-70 after Egor Demin's dunk had given BYU a 3-point lead.
Erickson, who left BYU in 2022 and transferred to Salt Lake Community College, where he was roommates with Utah coach Craig Smith's son, also made two critical free throws with 13.2 seconds left, which turned out to be the game-winners.
Those makes came after Erickson missed everything on a free throw attempt with 47 seconds left in OT.
But after that embarrassing air ball left Utah trailing 72-71, BYU's best player, Richie Saunders, lost the ball in the paint, for the Cougars' eighth turnover.
BYU's best players failed to deliver in crunch time, while Utah's reserves stole the show.
Erickson's redemptive free throws came after he drove the lane and was the benefactor of a late whistle. BYU's Dawson Baker was bumped a bit on his shot with 5.2 seconds left, but no call came. Then Knell was fouled while BYU was trying to throw the ball inbounds.
"It was just a typical dogfight down the stretch with both teams throwing haymakers, and I thought there was some head-scratching things that happened at the end, relative to their attacks to the basket versus ours. But sometimes that is how it goes," Young said.
The first-year coach was quick to say the officiating is not why the Cougars lost the game. Part of the free-throw disparity, he acknowledged, came because the Cougars were fouling Utah big man Lawson Lovering on purpose.
"We didn't think (Lovering) could beat us from the free throw line. I wish we would have fouled him even more, to be honest with you," Young said, after the Colorado transfer went 5 of 11 from stripe. "To that point, it did open up the door (for BYU to come back). We had our chances. I thought Dawson, looking at it on film, I thought he got fouled on that last play, pushed.
"That's not why we lost, but it certainly doesn't help," Young continued. "I thought they got a fortuitous whistle when Erickson drove. But again, that is not why we lost. That's just life. When you are on the other side of it it stings even more."
The biggest reason why BYU lost was because it could not stop Utah's Ezra Ausar, a 6-foot-8 forward who transferred from East Carolina.
The junior scored a season-high 26 points on 11 of 15 shooting, and took over the game early in the second half to lead Utah on a 16-4 run that essentially won the game for the home team.
Utah finished shooting 45% from the field, and won despite getting just eight points on 2 of 12 shooting from its leading scorer, Gabe Madsen.
If BYU knew Madsen would go 1 of 11 from 3-point range and not be much of a factor, it would have thought it would have won by double digits.
But it had no answer for Ausar.
"Our post defense was not good," Young said. "That is something we gotta get better at."
They've also got to get more out of Demin, who was 1 of 5 from 3-point range and missed at the buzzer as overtime ended. The shot would have won the game for the Cougars, but it wasn't close.
Demin's try came after Utah's Keanu Dawes missed two free throws with 5.3 seconds left.
Close losses are becoming the theme of BYU's season, and Young is clearly frustrated with his team, which plays at Colorado on Tuesday.
"You can only say so many times that we were right there. You gotta win basketball games. We can't be digging ourselves a hole," Young said. "We gotta find a way out of it. On one hand, it is encouraging because you are right there with a chance to win these games. But on the other hand it is super disappointing, just shoulda, woulda, coulda."
