No. 16 BYU faces No. 22 SUU in home finale on Saturday

UPDATE: BYU's home finale on Saturday against Southern Utah has been canceled. BYU has indefinitely suspended all athletic events due to the rapidly evolving circumstances related to the spread of COVID-19. The MRGC Championship and NCAA Championships have been canceled. 

PROVO, Utah – Performing for the final time this season in Provo, No. 16 BYU prepares for Senior night against No. 22 Southern Utah on Saturday, March 14, in the Smith Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. MDT.

The Cougars and Thunderbirds last faced on Jan. 24 in Cedar City, Utah. In that meet, BYU achieved not only its highest score of the season, a 197.075, but its highest score since 2004. 

The teams also battled it out in early January at the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA gymnastics meet, where BYU placed second (195.575) to the University of Utah with SUU placing third (194.650).

The last time the Thunderbirds competed in Provo was on March 15, 2019, when the Cougars topped SUU 196.550-195.975.

The two programs will face each other for a fourth time this season at the MRGC Championships on March 21 in Boise, Idaho, at 6 p.m. MDT.

Meet Information

• When: Saturday, March 14

• Time: 7 p.m. MST 

• Location: Smith Fieldhouse

• TV: BYUtv

• Stats: StatBroadcast.com

THE COUGARS. On Friday in Logan, Utah, BYU earned a solid score of 196.450, but failed to top the Aggies. This loss broke the team’s six-meet winning streak. This stood as the third matchup of the season between the conference rivals, with BYU holding a 2-1 record for 2020. A highlight included the Cougars earning their highest vault score of the season, a 49.300. Sophomore Jordan Matthews contributed to this score with a career-high of 9.900. On floor, sophomore Rachel Bain also achieved a new personal best of 9.850. This week, the team will be celebrating its seniors: Shannon Evans, Briana Pearson and Angel Zhong. 

THE THUNDERBIRDS. For two consecutive meets, SUU faced conference rival Boise State. On Feb. 28, the Thunderbirds held a solid lead over the Broncos in Idaho, winning 196.000-195.000. Last Thursday, Boise made a comeback, topping SUU 196.925-195.300. Despite the team’s loss, SUU boasts junior Hannah Nipp, who for the second time this season received MRGC Co-Beam Specialist of the Week. She earned a 9.875 and sits as No. 3 in the conference on the apparatus.