Beehive Classic: Utah State vs BYU pt. 2
Rivalry is defined as a competition for superiority between members of the same field. In the rivalry of college sports you could replace “members” with teams, in this case, BYU and Utah State.
This Saturday the Aggies have another chance to fuel that rivalry spirit as they take on BYU in the annual Beehive Classic at Vivint Smarthome Arena. The Cougars routed the Aggies by 15 points this time last year, receiving a huge 30-point night from senior forward Yoeli Childs and an above average 20-point night from senior guard TJ Haws. BYU scored 95 points on the night, nearly 20 points more than what they averaged per game the rest of the season. On top of that, just two of Utah State’s starters found double-digits scoring. Sam Merrill and Neemias Quetta were both held under their season averages and the Aggies got little to no help from their bench. Of that game Utah State head coach Craig Smith said, “I think it was their best game of the season, and our worst.”
He had a point given that the Aggies went on to win the conference championship in the Mountain West and go to the NCAA tournament, while the Cougars ended 24-11. It’s sure to be an intense game as both schools have only increased their production from last year.
There’s a certain excitement that comes with college basketball you can’t find almost anywhere else. Fans anxiously wait every season to see if their team will be rostered with the same faces as the year before. In most cases, rosters change year in and year out. These two schools are no different. BYU has added a talented point guard to their lineup in Jake Toolson. Toolson was named WAC player of the year during the 2018-2019 season. He started his college career at BYU but transferred to UVU to undoubtedly get more playing time. When he did his stats increased and with Coach Pope, formerly UVU’s head coach, taking the job at BYU from Dave Rose, Toolson all but had a starting position waiting for him if he transferred back. He did and this season he’s averaging 15.3 points a game with five rebounds and four assists. Yoeli Childs is still the star of the team after he declared for the NBA draft, changed his mind, and received a nine game suspension. Since he’s been back, however, Toolson and Childs are accounting for 44 percent of the team’s points. These two together are a dangerous combination, but Utah State has a few new faces that have also been a problem for defenses.
Photo By Tim Carpenter
The Aggies added size to their roster with two 7-footers Trevin Dorius and Kuba Karwowski. They also added a great scoring threat in Alphonso Andersen. The transfer from North Idaho Junior College has saved Utah State’s team in multiple games, including a monster 24-point game against LSU, and is averaging 12.1 points in 24.7 minutes played per game in the early season. Another face that’s not so new, but new in terms of the impact he’s having, is Justin Bean. Bean has exploded this season leading the team in rebounds and scoring the second most points on the team, only behind Sam Merrill. The latest additions to the team, combined with the experience of players like Merrill, Quetta, and Brito, makes Utah State a tough draw for any team.
Toolson against Merrill, Childs against Quetta, Bean against every player on BYU that thinks they know how to rebound, there’s always a unique excitement in this battle of blue bloods. But this year, with the expectation put on Utah State, and the desire BYU has to rewrite last season, this rivalry is sure to bring a spark that has never before been seen in the 233 meetings between these two schools.
These two schools have a long standing rivalry. For years players and students of Utah State University have fueled the self-proclaimed rivalry against BYU. Students camp out all night, they show up in droves, and don’t sit for one moment of any meeting between the two. Aggie supporters relish the opportunity to prove their superiority over the Cougars. However, BYU has a different team they call rival, a duel that cannot be overshadowed or ignored. Nevertheless, BYU has ignored, perhaps for too long, the school from northern Utah.