To heat up Utah-BYU hoops rivalry, just keep it close

PROVO — Yes, well, maybe this basketball stuff isn't dead yet.

A full house. A near-fight.

All it needed was a last-second shot.

But hey, give them something to work on.

The Utah-BYU men's basketball series took another turn Saturday night with the Cougars building an 18-point lead, watching it dissipate to four, then stretching it out at the end of an 82-69 outcome. There was even a moment when you might have figured it was as contentious as football.

Now, if they can just work in some overtimes and buzzer-beaters, who knows? The game could be right back where it was years ago.

"In a big rivalry game," said BYU guard Jimmer Fredette, who scored 36 points, "you never know what's going to happen."

Actually, if the last 20 years is any indication, you do.

Which has been part of the problem.

A considerable amount has been said recently about the nature of the basketball rivalry, or lack thereof. That it's fading. That it's not as well-attended. That it's a distant second to football. That it just isn't what it used to be.

That's a mouthful when you consider the all-time series — all 100 years and 249 games of it — is only separated by a single win (Utah now leads, 125-124). And considering the Cougars are currently ranked No. 10 in the nation.

But there you have it.

Basketball probably should be the biggest rivalry, but it isn't.

It's a spinach salad to the steak and baked potato.

There are a lot of theories why the basketball rivalry trails football, a general decline in interest at most schools being the most prevalent. Add to that the fact Utah and BYU play one another two or three times each year, rather than once a year like they do in football, it's bound to take a toll.

In that light, I'm offering a quick-start solution to get this thing back to epic proportions — and they don't even need to get into a fistfight to do it: Play closer games (duh!).

Minimize the stretch-and-yawn type affairs.

Nothing drives a rivalry like an uncertain outcome.