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Ezra Ausar and Miro Little almost said the answer in unison.

“We owe them one,” Ausar said first when the pair was asked about Utah’s Big 12 tournament first-round opponent, UCF.

“Yeah, we owe them one, so get the win. Simple,” Little quickly quipped.

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That moment of decisiveness from the two Runnin’ Utes is a microcosm of the togetherness this current group of players and coaches is trying to finish the season with.

Since Craig Smith was fired as head coach almost two weeks ago — one day after Utah’s loss at UCF in the two schools’ only other matchup this year — those who make up the current program have rallied around each other.

Thus far, it’s resulted in a 1-3 record, with all three losses coming against NCAA tournament caliber teams. The latest was an 85-74 setback against No. 23 BYU Saturday at the Marriott Center, and after that loss, the conversation for Utah revolved around several topics, including the Utes’ next opponent and how this team can rally around each other heading into the postseason.

Even with the struggles — and knowing there will be a new era of Utah basketball in the future, with Alex Jensen already having been announced as the program’s 17th head coach — Utah wants to finish the year the right way.

Utah, as the No. 11 seed, will face 14th seed UCF in Tuesday’s first round of the Big 12 tournament at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The game tips at 7:30 p.m. MST and will be streamed on ESPN+.

The winner of that game will take on No. 6 seed Kansas in the second round, and beyond that, No. 3 seed Arizona awaits the winner of Tuesday’s second-round matchup.

It’s a daunting potential road in the Big 12 tournament bracket, though with the overall strength of the league, almost any path is going to have multiple difficult contests on the way to next Saturday’s Big 12 tournament championship game.

When Utah and UCF met two weeks ago, the Knights got the better of the Utes in Orlando. The matchup came down to the final minute, but UCF prevailed when Darius Johnson hit the game-winner to snap a 72-72 tie with 2.8 seconds to play.

Utah then turned the ball over on the inbound for its 19th turnover of the game. Turnover issues have been a common theme for the Utes this year — it happened again Saturday against BYU — and in that first contest against UCF, the Knights held a 20-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

Less than 24 hours after that loss to UCF, Smith was no longer the head coach of the Utes, and a transition to the future became a reality.

That’s left the current staff and players in a bit of limbo, knowing that changes are coming.

Ausar helped put the situation in perspective.

“I think mentally, (the goal is) staying focused and learning how to move on to the next because you can’t get time back. You know, that’s just life in general,” he said.

“You’ve just got to accept it, because it ain’t nothing we can do about it as teammates. Just accept the moment and try to build from it, stay encouraged and keep encouraging each other off the court, on the court, I just think moving on from things and continue to motivate each other.

“We’ve still got a chance to win the conference tournament, so I think that’s the main focus right now.”

So, who might emerge victorious in Tuesday’s first-round game?

ESPN Analytics and KenPom both give Utah a slight edge in the neutral-site rematch. Since that first matchup, Utah has lost to Arizona, West Virginia and BYU, with a 26-point home over Arizona State.

UCF has gone 2-2, with home victories over Kansas State and Oklahoma State, combined with losses at TCU and West Virginia.

Utah interim coach Josh Eilert missed that first matchup with UCF, as he stayed at home with a 104 degree fever.

“It’s pretty fresh in our mind. They got us on the last-second shot, their late last possession,” Eilert said. “I think our guys will be amped and ready to go. I think we had a pretty good game plan.”

That game plan will be tested again when Utah and UCF meet in the fourth and final first-round matchup of the Big 12 tournament’s first day.

Eilert, like he’s shown time and again in his short time as Utah’s interim coach, showed confidence his team will rally to face the opportunity.

“They know what they’re playing for,” he said. “They’re playing for each other, and I keep on preaching that. There’s a lot of seniors in the locker room that the coaching change really has no effect on them, so they’ve been good about it and leaning on each other.”

Connor Ingram is taking a step away from Utah Hockey Club.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association announced Sunday that the goaltender would enter the player assistance program and be unavailable to Utah for an indefinite period of time as he receives care.

Ingram sent out a message shortly after his departure from the team was announced.

“For those of you that don’t know, earlier this season I lost my mother to breast cancer. After trying to make a return to playing, I have come to realize that I am not myself,” Ingram wrote in a post on X. “At this point in my life I need to put my health first, and take the time I need away to come back at 100%.”

Ingram was away for around two months between the end of November and mid-January as he dealt with the family matters.

“For Ingy, we’re supporting him. All of our heart is with him,” head coach André Tourigny said. “We hope the best for him and we just hope everything will go well for him.”

This is Ingram’s second time in the player assistance program. The 27-year-old leaned on the system in 2021 when he was part of the Nashville Predators’ organization. The program offers confidential help to players struggling with mental health, substance abuse or other personal issues with the goal of getting them back to the point where they can rejoin their NHL teams.

Ingram later opened up about his obsessive compulsive disorder and how it has impacted his mental health. He earned the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy — awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey — in May 2024 following an impressive season with the Arizona Coyotes. In Utah, Ingram posted a 3.27 goals against average and .882 save percentage through 22 games and it was hard to find consistency.

Ingram is serving as an example of the importance of putting one’s mental health ahead of stats and career.

“I think mental health is a thing, it’s important and it’s been underestimated for years,” Tourigny said. “Now I think it’s good to come to light and people take care of themselves. It’s important for everybody to try to help people in that regard as well.”

Jaxson Stauber was recalled from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on Sunday in Ingram’s absence. The 25-year-old netminder will back up Karel Vejmelka, who has assumed the starting role for Utah Hockey Club after signing a five-year contract extension on Thursday.

Stauber was with the Club earlier this season and had a 2.23 goals against average and .925 save percentage through four games. The undrafted goaltender put up the first-ever shutout in Utah history with a 29-save performance against the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 30.

“Just come in and continue to try to help the team in any way I can and make the most of any opportunities,” said Stauber, who practiced with the Club on Sunday. “It makes you hungry when you go back down and you want to perform well. I felt like I had a good first game back and then had a rough stretch for a few games there. The last little bit I’ve been playing better.”

In 17 games in Tucson this season, Stauber has a 3.11 GAA and .898 SV%. The Roadrunners are also in the thick of a playoff race in the AHL, so Stauber’s mindset remains the same with upcoming must-win matchups.

“It’s exciting. Good to get back out there with really good players,” Stauber said. “The shots come at you a little bit quicker. A little bit more engaged and that heightened level of awareness when the pucks are coming off a little bit harder.”

It is yet to be seen if Stauber will get a chance to start as Vejmelka has been solid with a 2.48 GAA and .910 SV% through 40 games. But, with 10 games in the next 19 days, some rest may be needed.

Stauber is here now to fill in but Ingram is confident he will eventually make a return after taking care of himself.

“Though many view the program as a resource for substance abuse, I want to recognize all that they do,” Ingram wrote in his message. “I am once again privileged to have access to their network of world class health professionals to hopefully avoid long-term negative effects of putting your health second. With the program’s assistance I look forward to getting the medical help I need and returning to a happy and healthy life.”

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Alex Jensen introduced himself to the Runnin’ Utes over Zoom.

Utah’s new basketball coach spoke to Craig Smith’s former staff, now led by interim head coach Josh Eilert.

He also spoke to Utah’s players.

“I talked to him first thing yesterday morning, and I had a great talk with him,” Eilert said on Friday. “We had a great conversation and he’s leaning on me to lead the program.”

Head coaches aren’t usually fired until the end of a season. So it’s somewhat rare for a replacement, like Jensen, to be in place while his team is still playing.

“He knows that right now is a sensitive situation, being named head coach when the regular season isn’t even complete,” Eilert said. “He just wants the best for everybody in the program as we finish the season. He doesn’t have any intention to interfere with what we have going on right now and I think that’s the perfect way to handle it.”

The Runnin’ Utes, meanwhile, are handling the end of their disappointing season the only way they can.

“I think mentally, we’re trying to stay focused and learning how to move on to the next because you can’t get time back,” junior forward Ezra Ausar said. “Try to, you know, build from it, stay encouraged, and keep encouraging each other off the court and on the court.”

Utah ended the 2024-25 regular season with an 85-74 loss to in-state rival BYU on Saturday night in Provo. The Utes have now lost four of their five games since Smith was fired.

But Eilert said he’s been impressed with his team’s fight and focus.

Utah battled until the end on Saturday, cutting the Cougars’ 19-point lead and down to an 11-point margin at the final buzzer. It also held BYU’s offense scoreless in the final 3:18 of the contest.

“They know what they’re playing for,” Eilert said. “They’re playing for each other, and I keep on preaching that. There are a lot of seniors in the locker room and the coaching change really has no effect on them, so they’ve been good about it and leaning on each other. Yeah, there’s a lot of distractions going on the last couple weeks, but they’ve handled it really well. They’ve handled it professionally.”

So, what’s left for Utah to play for?

The Runnin’ Utes would have to pull off a miracle run in the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City to make the NCAA Tournament.

No. 14-seeded UCF is up next for Utah in the conference tournament. The Utes lost to the Knights in Orlando less than two weeks ago.

“It’s pretty fresh in our mind,” Eilert said. “They got us on the last-second shot there. … I think our guys will be amped and ready to go. I think we had a pretty good game plan last time. So, I’m looking forward to the matchup in Kansas City.”

A win would put them on a crash course with Kansas, which they beat earlier this season. A loss would eliminate the Runnin’ Utes completely.

“I just think moving on from things [will help us] continue to motivate each other,” Ausar said. “We still got a chance to win conference tournament. I think that’s the main focus right now.

“Put time behind us.”

Maybe the Runnin’ Utes can pull off a magical last-minute March Madness berth.

But they know change is coming sooner or later.

Growing up in Utah, I naively thought I would move away after college to find “somewhere better” to live. I quickly realized a better “somewhere” doesn’t exist. Whether it’s backcountry skiing in the Wasatch, mountain biking around Moab, rock climbing in the Swell or floating down a desert river, outdoor recreation isn’t just a weekend pastime — it’s a cornerstone of our economy and culture.

That’s why it’s concerning to see deep cuts to the agencies that help keep these landscapes open and accessible. Staffing shortages at the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service are already making it harder to maintain trails, manage visitors and keep recreation areas running smoothly. And with more cuts on the horizon, the ripple effects will hit not just the people who work on our public lands, but the businesses and communities that rely on them, too.

Think about it: When a trailhead isn’t maintained, when parking lots are not plowed, when permits take longer to process, when search-and-rescue teams are stretched too thin — that doesn’t just impact hikers and skiers. It affects the guides and outfitters, the small-town coffee shops and gear stores, the hotels and restaurants that depend on outdoor recreation dollars. Tourism brings billions into Utah every year, and much of that comes from people traveling here to experience these incredible landscapes. Beyond the tourism dollars generated, I can’t count the number of people I’ve met who have accepted jobs in Utah due to our outdoor rec opportunities. But they will seek that “somewhere better” to visit or move to if those places start to feel neglected, overcrowded or unsafe — or are no longer accessible.

Utah has built a reputation as an outdoor paradise, and we’ve spent years promoting that to the world. But that brand only holds up if the places we’re advertising are well cared for. We need to make sure the people who steward our public lands have the resources to do their jobs.

For decades, groups like the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance have worked alongside land managers to keep the places we love in good shape and accessible to the public. Volunteers put in thousands of hours, but they can’t replace trained staff. It takes real investment to keep Utah’s trails, canyons and backcountry safe and accessible.

Although it is difficult to quantify the economic benefits of our outdoor recreation when compared to development and resource extraction, our state leaders know the value of public lands — after all, they’ve built entire marketing campaigns around them. It’s time to back that up by making sure we’re not cutting the very resources that keep those lands running. Whether you’re a skier, hiker, business owner or just someone who cares about Utah’s future, now is the time to speak up. Let’s make sure we protect the places that make Utah great.

At the 1:37 mark of the first half in Saturday night’s BYU-Utah matchup at the Marriott Center, the Runnin’ Utes found themselves leading the No. 23 Cougars 29-27 thanks to Gabe Madsen’s first 3-pointer of the contest.

To that point, Utah had gutted through compounding turnover issues and poor shooting to stick with BYU and even lead for the majority of the first half.

The Utes also rebounded the ball well in the opening 20 minutes and took advantage of BYU’s poor first-half 3-point shooting. Utah outrebounded BYU 25-18 in the first half and the Cougars missed their first 13 3-point attempts.

Over the final minute of the first half, though, Utah watched BYU go on a 7-1 run to turn that two-point deficit into a four-point lead, punctuated by a 30-foot Dallin Hall 3-pointer at the buzzer.

That quick turn of momentum to end the first half ended up being a harbinger of things to come, as BYU ran away with an 85-74 victory over the Utes to end Utah’s two-game win streak in the series.

“A couple of things I think we mismanaged, especially at the end of the half, (were) not taking the last shot and then they really did a good job of taking advantage of us, really putting their head down and driving there late, which we had a hard time staying in front,” Utah interim coach Josh Eilert said.

A gutty effort from Utah over the opening 20 minutes didn’t translate over to the second half, as the Utes’ defense fell apart.

“Some of those transition buckets where they walked to the rim, it definitely was their emphasis coming out out halftime and they executed that. Credit to them,” said Eilert, whose team lost the fast break points battle 14-8.

BYU built off that late first-half swing and began to play more like itself in the second half, as the Cougars went up 54-41 with 13 minutes remaining, sparked in part by a pair of Dawson Baker 3-pointers.

Utah had a quick 8-0 answer, including two Madsen 3-pointers, that made the score 54-49. Then the Utes, in what’s been an issue this season, went on an extended scoring drought at an ill-timed point of the game.

The Cougars pushed the lead back into double-digits over the next five minutes as part of a 12-0 run, while Utah was mired in a shooting slump that saw the visitors miss nine straight field goals.

By the time the slump ended, BYU led 66-49 with 6:46 to play and the outcome had all but been decided in Provo.

“I think our main focus is being consistent, and coming out of halftime, it hurt us coming out and not getting those (stops), I think they go up eight points (early) or something like that,” Utah forward Ezra Ausar said. “I think we just lost consistency coming out in the second half.”

It leaves Utah entering the postseason on a two-game losing streak after falling by two to West Virginia in its home finale Tuesday. While the Utes (16-15, 8-12 Big 12), who have been playing under the cloud of a coaching change the past two weeks, have looked competitive in stretches this week against two NCAA tournament caliber teams, their flaws caught up with them again.

Against BYU, part of that was a propensity to turn the ball over. Utah ended up with 17 turnovers to 10 for BYU. The Cougars turned that into a 21-9 advantage in points off turnovers.

“They scored a lot off our turnovers,” said Utah guard Miro Little. “Our 17 turnovers was what cost that the game today and we’ve just got to take care of better care of the ball as a team.”

Eilert echoed those sentiments and said he challenged his guys at halftime to clean it up. In the first half, Utah turned the ball over 10 times and it led to nine points.

While the Utes turned it over fewer times in the second half with seven, those giveaways led to 12 Cougar points.

“I think that there’s no secret, our Achilles is the turnover situation, and they turned up the pressure,” Eilert said. “They turned up the pressure, especially on our point guard play.

“I really got after our guys in the locker room there at halftime that I’m searching for a point guard that can really run the show and get us into what we need to, get a good shot each and every time down the floor. It’s been something that just keeps on rearing its ugly head, the turnover situation, and it certainly did tonight.”

Both teams struggled shooting in the first half. BYU was 37.3% from the floor, while Utah was 33.3%. The Cougars, though, turned that around in the second half, shooting 61.5% after the half and 47.5% for the game.

Utah, meanwhile, shot 35.6% in the second half and 34.7% for the game.

The Utes had a few noteworthy individual efforts in the matchup. Little scored a career-high 21 points, including 18 in the second half, and made four 3-pointers in the final six minutes when the game was decided.

Ausar finished with a double-double at 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Jake Wahlin had 10 points and six rebounds against the team he once signed with before flipping to the Utes.

The Cougars, though, showed they were the better team, as they overcame their first-half inconsistency and followed it up with a second-half effort that included five made 3-pointers.

Utah did make more 3s — at 12 to eight — and held a 53-34 rebounding edge, but it didn’t matter against a hot Cougars squad.

What’s next for the Utes, who showed some fight but couldn’t overcome their flaws? The loss slots Utah into the No. 11 seed for next week’s Big 12 tournament.

The Utes will face No. 14 seed UCF in Tuesday’s first round at 7:30 p.m. MST at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

“It was a good defensive effort to start to the half on our part and thought we did a really good job on the glass and handling the environment,” Eilert said, “but you know, just sometimes the floodgates start to open up on you and (they) certainly did.”

PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – The BYU basketball team is rolling into the postseason.

Dawson Baker scored 15 points and Richie Saunders added 14 to lead No. 23 BYU to an 85-74 victory over rival Utah on Saturday night.

Keba Keita had 12 points and Egor Demin scored 10 for the Cougars (23-8, 14-6 Big 12). Both players had seven rebounds. Demin finished with six assists.

Miro Little led Utah with 21 points. Ezra Ausar added 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Utes (16-15, 8-12) have dropped four of their last five games.

BYU wins double-overtime thriller over #10 Iowa State

For a third consecutive game, BYU weathered a sluggish start on offense in the first half. The Cougars started 0 of 13 from 3-point range before Baker and Mihailo Boskovic ended the drought with back-to-back outside baskets.

Utah took advantage of BYU’s prolonged shooting struggles. Ausar scored four baskets over a five-minute stretch to put the Utes up 26-21.

The Cougars rallied and took a 34-30 halftime lead on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Dallin Hall.

Utah trailed the entire second half, but BYU didn’t pull away until Trevin Knell and Hall fueled a 12-0 run with back-to-back baskets that helped put the Cougars up 66-49 with 6:46 left. The Utes missed nine straight shots during a five-minute scoring drought.

Utah committed 17 turnovers, leading to 21 points for BYU, and shot just 35% from the field.

Baker had his highest-scoring game since totaling 16 points at Providence in December.

Baskets from Keita and Hall in the final 35 seconds of the first half put BYU ahead for good.

Utes hire Alex Jensen as head basketball coach

BYU outscored Utah 40-22 in the paint.

Utah faces UCF in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday in what could be the Utes final game before new head coach Alex Jensen takes over.

BYU has a double bye into Thursday’s quarterfinal round in Kansas City.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Dawson Baker scored 15 points and Richie Saunders added 14 to lead No. 23 BYU to an 85-74 victory over rival Utah on Saturday night.

Keba Keita had 12 points and Egor Demin scored 10 for the Cougars (23-8, 14-6 Big 12), who won their eighth straight game. Both players had seven rebounds. Demin finished with six assists.

Miro Little led Utah with 21 points. Ezra Ausar added 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Utes (16-15, 8-12) have dropped four of their last five games.

For a third consecutive game, BYU weathered a sluggish start on offense in the first half. The Cougars started 0 of 13 from 3-point range before Baker and Mihailo Boskovic ended the drought with back-to-back outside baskets.

Utah took advantage of BYU’s prolonged shooting struggles. Ausar scored four baskets over a five-minute stretch to put the Utes up 26-21.

The Cougars rallied and took a 34-30 halftime lead on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Dallin Hall.

Utah trailed the entire second half, but BYU didn’t pull away until Trevin Knell and Hall fueled a 12-0 run with back-to-back baskets that helped put the Cougars up 66-49 with 6:46 left. The Utes missed nine straight shots during a five-minute scoring drought.

Takeaways

Utah: Committed 17 turnovers, leading to 21 points for BYU, and shot just 35% from the field.

BYU: Baker had his highest-scoring game since totaling 16 points at Providence in December.

Key moment

Baskets from Keita and Hall in the final 35 seconds of the first half put BYU ahead for good.

Key stat

BYU outscored Utah 40-22 in the paint.

Up next

Utah faces UCF in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday. BYU has a double bye into Thursday’s quarterfinal round.

___

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Saturday’s game at Marriott Center has the No. 23 BYU Cougars (22-8, 14-6 Big 12) taking on the Utah Utes (16-14, 8-12 Big 12) at 10 p.m. ET. Our computer prediction is a one-sided 80-69 victory, as our model heavily favors BYU. According to our computer prediction, Utah should cover the point spread, which is listed at 11.5. The two sides are projected to fall short of the 154.5 total.

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BYU vs. Utah Odds

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BYU vs. Utah Prediction

• Prediction: BYU 80, Utah 69

BYU Betting Info

• The Cougars’ record against the spread in conference play is 13-6-0.
• The Cougars have played 19 Big 12 games this year, and 11 of them have hit the over.
• The Cougars have won 16, or 72.7%, of the 22 games they’ve played as moneyline favorites this season.
• BYU has been at least a -787 moneyline favorite seven times this season and won all of those games.
• In 11 of 29 games this season, the Cougars and their opponents have scored more than 154.5 points.
• The average total in BYU’s contests this year is 151.2, 3.3 fewer points than this game’s over/under.

BYU’s Top Players

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Utah Betting Info

• The Utes have beaten the spread eight times in 19 Big 12 games.
• Out of 19 Utes Big 12 games so far this season, five have gone over the total.
• The Utes have been victorious in three, or 20%, of the 15 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.
• Utah has yet to win this season when listed as an underdog of +543 or worse on the moneyline this season.
• The Utes have played eight games this season that ended with a combined score above 154.5 points.
• Utah has had an average of 146.7 points scored in its games so far this season, 7.8 points fewer than this game’s over/under.

Utah’s Top Players

BYU vs. Utah Scoring Insights

• The Cougars score 9.9 more points than the Utes give up (71.3).
• When BYU scores more than 71.3, it is 17-6 against the spread and 21-3 overall.
• Utah is 14-11 against the spread and 16-9 overall when conceding less than 81.2 points.
• The Utes’ 75.4 points per game are 5.4 more than the Cougars concede.
• Utah has a 13-7 ATS record and 15-5 overall record when putting up more than 70.0 points.
• BYU’s record is 14-5 versus the spread and 17-3 overall when giving up less than 75.4 points.
• The Cougars have outscored opponents by 338 points this season (11.2 per game), and the Utes have scored 125 more than their opponents (4.1 per game).

BYU vs. Utah Rankings

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As Congress seeks to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and identify revenue offsets, communities across the country are urging lawmakers to preserve a fundamental economic development tool: the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds. Maintaining this tax exemption is crucial for building essential infrastructure in Utah communities and driving economic growth while saving Utah taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

For over a century, tax-exempt municipal bonds have been the primary tool by which state and local governments, not-for-profits and economic developers finance large-scale public projects that underpin economic vitality and quality of life. These bonds allow for financing essential infrastructure that powers job creation and enables long-term economic prosperity. The tax exemption reduces borrowing costs, making it feasible for economic developers to undertake projects that benefit Utahns across the state.

Over the past 10 years alone in Utah, state and local governments have relied on tax-exempt bonds to finance $30 billion in projects such as schools, hospitals, housing, water treatment facilities and transportation systems. By keeping interest on these bonds tax-exempt, Utah taxpayers have saved an estimated $635 million. The projects financed are not just assets for local communities; they are catalysts for regional economic growth, attracting businesses, supporting a skilled workforce and enhancing the standard of living.

Eliminating or limiting the tax exemption on municipal bonds would raise borrowing costs, leading to significant fiscal challenges for Utah’s communities, especially the rural and smaller borrowers who account for 60% of projects financed. Higher costs for infrastructure projects would deter private investment, stifle job creation and ultimately increase the financial burden on businesses and taxpayers.

To answer our governor’s urgent call for Utah to build, we must preserve the financial tools that enable progress. The Economic Development Corporation of Utah and the Utah Alliance for Economic Development urge Congress to recognize the invaluable role that tax-exempt municipal bonds play in economic development. By maintaining this tax exemption, Congress can ensure that Utah’s communities have the right tools to address public infrastructure needs, sustain our quality of life and build without burdening taxpayers.