PROVO, Utah — Saturday night proved to be a big one for the BYU men’s basketball team as the 13th-ranked Cougars swept their season series against Utah with a 91-78 win. It was also a lucrative game for their fans as three different students won serious prizes during shooting competitions.
The Marriott Center is a cauldron of noise anytime the Utes take the short trip down from Salt Lake City, with commercial breaks typically being the only moment when fans and players can take a breather.
But even when the team was in a timeout, the court became electric.
First, Cougars fan Thomas Davis hit a half-court shot to win $4,000. BYU junior Ethan Graham followed that up by hitting four straight three-point shots in a 30-second window to win a two-year lease on a brand-new Volkswagen Tiguan.
The pressure seemingly piled on another junior, Keegan Johnson, who had to follow both those acts with a half-court attempt of his own. Repping a royal blue Jimmer Fredette jersey, Johnson said he channeled some of his favorite Cougs as he took the court.
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Seconds later, Johnson hit a half-court shot to win $1,000 in tuition assistance.
“When I let it go, I knew it looked good," Johnson said Monday. "It felt good, and I’m thinking that might go in, and I just banged it. I’ve always dreamed about hitting a shot against Utah, especially. I figure that’s my one shot against Utah, so I’ll take it.”
Johnson said it felt like the perfect storm, with his team’s performance and their shots combining to keep the crowd energized all night long. He hopes BYU carries that momentum into Monday's game against top-ranked Arizona, where he was lined up early with hundreds of others outside the Marriott Center hours before tip-off.
