There has been a trend in the Mountain West Conference this season of the home team actually having an advantage in its building. Utah will try to continue that theme tonight as it hosts archrival BYU.

The Runnin' Utes encountered the same ill fate as their southern rivals against the team from Sin City on Saturday.

Save the boos for when they seem right, it makes them more valuable and meaningful.

With a win against Air Force on Saturday, the Utah men's swimming and diving team broke its nearly two-year losing streak and earned its first win of the season. The last win for the Utes came Jan. 27, 2007, when they defeated the Falcons in Salt Lake City.

In what was another solid outing for the women's basketball team, the Utes topped UNLV 67-50 on Saturday, giving them their eighth win in a row.

Gymnastics head coach Greg Marsden was concerned about the possibility of a letdown after a cross-country trip to Georgia left Utah empty-handed Jan. 19. The Utes responded Saturday with their best scoring night of the season.

This weekend, the Runnin' Utes will try to do what their southern rival could not8212;protect their home floor against the UNLV Rebels.

With three events in the books, and the teams tied, it came down to the final event8212;and the Gym Dogs defended their turf and edged out the Red Rocks for the win.

Consider Utah the Florida Gators of the Western states8212;a college that has enjoyed tremendous and nationally recognized success in two major sports. I only hope Lunardi isn't prophetic about everything. He currently has Utah playing Kentucky in the first round.

Despite the challenges facing men's swimming, Winslow is optimistic about upcoming seasons and the athletes who have been recruited since he took the head coaching position two years ago.