SALT LAKE CITY — It was close, but in the end, the Runnin' Utes managed to hold off UVU and deprive the Wolverines of a BYU-Utah sweep, winning 87-80 Tuesday in Salt Lake City.

JoJo Zamora paced the Utes with 17, while Kyle Kuzma added 16 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.

Here are my instant observations from Tuesday's contest:

Utah struggles to protect the rim

The Utes have been dominant on the boards almost all season, but tonight UVU pushed them to the brim. The Wolverines grabbed 34 rebounds, one short of Utah's 35, and added nine offensive rebounds.