March 10, 2000

No. 6 BYU ended a 12-game losing streak to No. 2 Utah with the 58 victory tonight. The last Cougar win over the Utes came in 1995 in Provo (64-57).

This was the sixth time Utah and BYU have met in a conference tournament game. BYU is now 4-2 in six contests.

BYU is making their first appearance in a conference tournament championship game since 1994 when they fell to Hawaii, 73-66. The last time the Cougars won a league tournament crown was in 1992 when they defeated UTEP, 73-71.

Utah missed its first six shots of the game before finally draining its first field goal at the 15:23 mark. They also opened both halves 4-for-14 from the field and were outscored 12-3 by BYU to begin each half.

Utah junior center Nate Althoff recorded three blocks in just the first four minutes of the game tonight vs. BYU. In the previous meetings this season, Althoff did not have a single block.

Althoff also recorded the first double-double of his career with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

BYU sophomore forward Eric Nielsen scored a career-high 17 points. In the first two meetings, he totaled six points in 32 minutes. This is the second day in a row he has set a new career-high. On Thursday, he recorded 11 rebounds in the victory against New Mexico.

After scoring just two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first half, BYU junior guard Terrell Lyday went 5-for-7 in the second half and scored 14 points. His 16 points tonight marks the 18th straight game he has scored in double figures.

BYU started the lineup of Michael Vranes, Mekeli Wesley, Terrell Lyday, Nathan Cooper and Eric Nielsen for the third time in a row and just the third time this season. This lineup is now 3-0.

Junior forward Mekeli Wesley had his 18 game double-figure scoring streak halted tonight after scoring just seven points.

BYU had the fewest turnovers in a game this season with six.

No. 6 BYU will meet the winner of No. 1 UNLV vs. No. 5 Wyoming in the title game on Saturday, March 11 at 7:05 p.m. The Cougars swept the Rebels during the regular season, 77-75 and 83-82. Against the Cowboys, BYU is 1-1, winning at home, 87-78, and losing on the road, 85-70.