BYU SENDS A MESSAGE - 96-65

If this isn't a coaching axiom, it should be: Never play a team with a chip on its shoulder.

Thursday afternoon at the Delta Center, Utah ran into such a team in the form of arch-rival BYU. Still smarting from recent charges of poor play, particularly by the Cougar guards, the highly motivated BYU team positively crushed Utah, 96-65.It was the worst defeat in the BYU-Utah series since a 98-67 Ute loss in the 1964-65 season, and joins that game as being the widest margin of victory in the 213 games these teams have played since basketball was invented.

"It was rather embarrassing," Ute forward Tony Block understated.

"They kicked our butt in every way," added Utah coach Rick Majerus.

For BYU's four-man guard rotation, this game provided a measure of redemption. After making a combined 10 of 41 shots in losses to New Mexico and UTEP last week, the Cougar guardline responded by hitting 13 of 21 shots for a total of 45 points against the Utes. They made five of 10 three-pointers, a shot that hasn't been kind to them lately, and they also went to the hoop effectively.

In short, they played like guys with something to prove.

"Our players felt like they got a little maligned," said BYU coach Roger Reid. "They wanted to make a statement that they can make baskets."

And oh, how they made baskets. Not just the guards - everyone. The Cougars shot 73.9 percent from the field in the first half, 63.5 percent for the game. They scored on drives, scoop shots, hooks, dunks, jumpers, maybe even a triple axel or two. It was one of those nights where, if they put it up, it went in.

"You have to be lucky," Reid said, explaining his team's hot shooting. "I don't know if you can shoot 70 percent in a gym by yourself."

Maybe not, but Russell Larson shot 85.7 percent (12 of 14), sometimes with more than one guy guarding him. The only shots Larson missed were a pair of three-pointers. The BYU forward finished with 28 points in 28 minutes and, much more importantly, he stayed out of foul trouble.

"Larson is the best player in the conference, bar none," Majerus said.