Other connections are more casual: Junior Kyle Kuzma said he’s friends with several of the UVU players, particularly triple-threat guard Brandon Randolph, through open gyms. Even beyond Ogbe, who practiced with the Utes for three years, many of these players have matched up during the summer in pick-up.
Coach Larry Krystkowiak, who has previously voiced concern for scheduling too many in-state opponents in a year, said that the stakes of the in-state game are a little higher than normal for that reason.
"They’re familiar with a lot of our guys," he said. "There’s a little more importance to it.