Zoo Lights and Utes Win!

We usually check out a lot of lights around town this time of year and actually have never felt it was worth it to pay to look at lights. Last night Grandma and Grandpa invited us to Hogle Zoo's ZooLights.  It was so fun, beautiful and full of some great memories.  Arian kissed a monkey, Setareh got way too close to a turkey and I got really scared by the BIG tiger on the other side of the glass.

After the Zoo we headed to the Utah Basketball Game. As we drove over to the game we asked Grandpa for the game states - he told us about Southern Methodists coach Larry Brown. We all growned and Ari said, "Does that mean we are going to lose. " And with the lowest of expectations we went to the game. Wow - it was almost a blast from the past. There was almost a crowd, it was loud with cheering AND the Utes pulled off a magnificent win.  Great winter fun!!

Buy this Photo dished out a personal-best four assists

Dec. 18, 2012
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Justin Seymour scored a team-high 11 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer, to lift Utah to a 62-53 win over SMU on Tuesday night.
The freshman teamed with classmate Brandon Taylor to pace the Utes this evening in improving to 7-3 on the season. Taylor, who entered the game with eight points this entire season, scored 10 on 4-of-6 shooting.
Jason Washburn was the other Utah player in double figures with 10 and the team imrpoved to 4-0 when the senior big man hits double figures.The senior also joined some elite company with three blocked shots, moving into fifth place all-time at Utah, tied with Michael Doleac (1994-98)
Seymour, Taylor and Washburn also helped Utah hold an astounding 35-6 advanatage over SMU in bench points, the largest margin this season in that category for the Utes.
The Runnin' Utes shot better than their opponent from the field yet again, something it has done in every game this season, and made 17-of-19 free throws. This was key after the Utes only attempted three freebies in the loss at SMU earlier this year. Utah was also +9 on the glass withJordan Loveridge leading the way for a sixth time this season with seven boards. Utah jumped out to an early 8-2 lead behind a Glen Dean three-pointer and five points from Dallin Bachynski but then went nearly six-and-a-half minutes without scoring a basket. During this time, SMU went on a 10-2 run to take its first lead at 12-10 with 12:27 to go in the half. However, Dean answered with his second three-pointer to give the Utes the lead. SMU went on a 9-0 run before a fast-break layup by Taylor at 6:09 broke the drought. Renan Lentz followed with a three-pointer from the corner that cut the gap to 23-18.
Utah scored on its next five possessions and eventually grabbed the lead on a steal and bucket by Justin Seymour to make the margin 26-25. A 10-0 Ute run culminated on a layup by Aaron Dotson with 1:53 showing on the clock.
Another Taylor trifecta gave Utah the 31-28 advantage heading to the lockers. The freshman led the Utes in the first half with seven points.
After Utah scored the first bucket of the half, SMU went on an 8-0 run to take a 36-33 run. Washburn's first field goal of the game would give the Utes a lead once more at 41-40 with 11:51 remaining.  The Runnin' Utes remained in front, but could not increase the lead, despite holding SMU to one hoop over a span of 6:23. An emphatic Washburn dunk brought the crowd to its feet and forced a Mustang timeout, trailing 47-44.  With the game tied, 47-47, Seymour converted a jumper to give Utah a two-point cushion. After SMU evened things again, Seymour hit a three-pointer for a 54-51 lead.
After a stop and Utah timeout, Loveridge rebounded a Jarred DuBois miss and converted with the shot clock expiring for a five-point edge. After SMU scored to make it a one-possession game, its bench was assessed two technical fouls.
After six-consecutive free throws, Utah was able to run out the clock and earn the win, 62-53.
Utah remains at home this weekend when it hosts Cal-State Northridge at 8:30 p.m. The Utes will be honoring the 1944 Utah team as part of the NCAA's 75th Anniversary of March Madness.