BYU basketball handles business, takes down Utah in season finale

They did it. Handling the Utes at home on senior night, BYU basketball grabbed their eighth straight victory to close out the 2024-25 season. And on a high note, at that, as Kevin Young’s squad finished with a score of 85-74.

After a poor start in the first half that saw an ice-cold offense go 0-13 from beyond the arc out of the gate, BYU somehow still held a four-point lead thanks to strong defense and a little magic at the buzzer from a Dallin Hall 3-ball.

Everyone not named Dawson Baker or Egor Demin was stagnant on the offensive front, but the high-powered Cougars simply couldn’t stay behind their local visitors with such a massive wave of momentum behind them.

This was a sloppy game throughout, that saw tempers flare, questionable officiating, and a bounty of reasons for both sides to scream — for good and bad. Collisions, rejections, trash talk, and big-time buckets lined the pockets of what was a fantastic battle between the Cougars and Utes.

When BYU came alive in the second half, though, there was no slowing them down. Utah’s worst nightmare: BYU basketball at a fraction of its power.

Demin enjoyed a great night. Like a head chef may do after preparing a food critic’s meal, he personally delivered six assists to his teammates while attacking the basket with regularity — replenishing the bread basket, if the chef metaphor still works for you. Egor finished the night with 10 points and seven boards — much needed rebounds in a game where Utah out-rebounded BYU by nearly 20.

A strong performance and a satisfactory meal on a pseudo Senior Night for the likely one-and-done Demin.

Fouss Traore, Trey Stewart, Trevin Knell, and Mawot Mag were all honored on Senior Night. Mag, a transfer from Rutgers, is the only player of the bunch to not spend his entire collegiate career with BYU. To varying levels of success, each of these players have delivered their hearts and planted them at center court.

Knell will be remembered as one of the program’s best shooters. Traore and Stewart will be remembered as important culture guys for the locker room and dynamic of the team. Fouss, a player who always played larger than his frame and with such joy, will be a big loss in the offseason. Stewart, though he didn’t see the floor as often as he likely hoped, broke out in the second half of this season as a defensive specialist worthy of an assignment against the opponent’s best.

BYU basketball finishes the regular season with a 23-8 record. An eight-game winning streak with victories against some of the best squads in the conference is no small accomplishment and certainly won’t go overlooked come Selection Sunday.

So the Cougars turn their attention to the remainder of March and (hopefully) early April. Likely a popular pick to surprise the nation in the NCAA Tournament, BYU basketball could fall anywhere between a five and seven seed, realistically, and may run this hot streak all the way to a conference championship. It’s too early to say at this point, however.

So much credit belongs to Kevin Young and his staff. After starting the season in less-than-ideal fashion, the Cougars are one of basketball’s most threatening squads. Capable of standing toe-to-toe with the best of the best, they’ll have a chance to prove their position in the Big 12 with a double-bye matchup against the winner of Iowa State and whoever advances to play them.

Let’s be honest with ourselves here, that matchup will almost certainly be Iowa State, and they’ll be hungry for revenge. Win that game, and you’re likely staring Houston square in the eyes. Don’t blink in the offseason, Cougars. This could be your chance to break through.