Utah lawmakers, including Gov. Gary Herbert, are chiming in after the rivalry basketball game between Utah and BYU was canceled.
Wednesday BYU athletics officials said University of Utah head basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak told BYU head coach Dave Rose that the Utes will not play the Cougars in 2016.
The game was contracted to be played in Provo at the Marriott Center.
Since Utah is a state school, do you think politicians should intervene and force the game to happen?
“I disagree with the decision,” Rose said. “I know our students, our players, our fans and college basketball fans in the intermountain area want to see this long-standing rivalry continue.”
Utah basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak sent Fox 13 this statement Wednesday regarding the decision to cancel the scheduled game against BYU:
“The events that have occurred in our recent games with BYU led me to ask Dr. Hill several weeks ago if we could take a cooling off period and put the rivalry on hold. The level of emotions has escalated to the point where there is the potential for serious injury. Chris said he would support me in canceling next year’s scheduled game against BYU. I called and let Coach Rose know our intentions a few days after our game (on Dec. 2)."
The Utes and Cougars have played every year since 1909, with the only exception in 1944, when the season was cut short due to World War ll.
The rivalry game is the seventh longest in the college basketball history; BYU leads the series 129-128.
