Utah basketball's 5 biggest games left in the 2025-26 regular season

Runnin' Utes face a couple of Final Four contenders before putting a bow on the regular season

Utah Runnin' Utes guard Don McHenry (3) takes a 3-point shot as Arizona State Sun Devils guard Maurice Odum (5) defends during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Alex Jensen's first season at the helm of his alma mater has not gone the way many Utah basketball fans envisioned it playing out when the former Runnin' Utes standout was named the program's next head coach last March.

Following a 71-63 loss to Arizona State, Utah (9-13, 1-8 Big 12) dropped to 4-13 in its last 17 after starting the 2025-26 campaign with five consecutive wins at home, effectively dashing any hopes of snagging an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament by early January.

That said, there's still plenty of basketball to be played over the next four weeks. The Runnin' Utes have nine more games in the regular season, then head off to Kansas City, Missouri, for the Big 12 tournament that's set for March 10-14 at T-Mobile Center.

Until then, here's a look at the five biggest games remaining on Utah's calendar.

Utah Visits Historic Allen Fieldhouse

Saturday's contest between Utah and Kansas (17-5, 7-2 Big 12) will mark the first time the Runnin' Utes play a game inside the historic Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, where they'll look to slow down perhaps the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, Darryn Peterson, and a Jayhawks squad that's riding a six-game win streak.

Needless to say, beating a team that hardly ever loses on its home floor would be quite a way for Utah to snap its 13-game road losing streak. If the Runnin' Utes are to have a chance at pulling off the upset, they'll need to hope for an off-night from Peterson, who averages 21.1 points on 49.4% shooting but has dealt with his share of cramps and injury issues that have prevented him from being on the floor as often as he would be otherwise.

Offensively, Utah will somehow need to generate open looks against a stout Kansas unit that ranks top 25 nationally in 3-point defense (29.4%; No. 16), 2-point defense (44.7%; No. 7) and block rate (16.8%; No. 3).

Runnin' Utes Host Last Season's Runner-Ups

Jensen shared his admiration and respect for Kelvin Sampson's program throughout the offseason, indicating Houston's rise as a national power will serve as a blueprint for Utah as it strives to regain its hold on the college basketball landscape.

The Cougars' visit to the Huntsman Center on Feb. 10 will give Jensen and company their first up-close look at Houston's machine-like operation, as Utah strives to defend its home court against last season's national runner-ups.

Once again, Houston (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) looks the part of a Final Four contender, even with a slightly different cast of characters starring in Sampson's show. Freshman guard and potential top-five NBA draft pick, Kingston Flemings (17 ppg, 5.5 apg), is the headliner for a team that ranks in the top 10 (No. 8) nationally in both adjusted offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency on KenPom.com. Emmanuel Sharp (15.9 ppg), Milos Uzan (11.5 ppg) and Joseph Tugler (7.9 ppg) are back in the fold as well, reinforcing the Cougars' identity as one of the toughest teams defensively in the sport.

Iowa State Visits Huntsman Center

Iowa State — another squad with legitimate Final Four aspirations — visits Salt Lake City on Feb. 24 for the fifth all-time meeting with Utah, and the first between the two schools at the Huntsman Center.

The Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) have looked unstoppable at times with All-America candidate Joshua Jefferson (17.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.1 apg) leading the charge on both ends of the floor. In addition to all that he does offensively, the former Saint Mary's transfer also records 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks per game for an Iowa State unit that ranks No. 15 in the country in points allowed (64.8 per game).

Iowa State's only two losses have come on the road against Kansas (84-63) and Cincinnati (79-70). Eighteen of the Cyclones' 20 wins have been decided by double-digit digits, including an impressive 81-58 triumph over Purdue at Mackey Arena during nonleague play.

With it being Utah's last marquee home game of the season, it would be quite something if the Runnin' Utes came away with an upset win.

Senior Night Against Colorado

A matchup against Colorado (13-10, 3-7 Big 12) doesn't generate the same buzz as some of the other games on this list will, though it's always important to send seniors off on a high note in their final home game of their college careers.

Admittedly, senior nights in the transfer portal/NIL era don't resonate with players and fans like they used to, since most rosters nowadays are almost completely void of four-year guys who stick with the same program throughout their college tenures. For Utah, it appears that fifth-year players James Okonkwo and Don McHenry — both of whom the Runnin' Utes acquired via the portal in the offseason — are the two names that'll get mentioned on senior night.

The March 3 date with the Buffaloes could very well be Utah's best chance at earning a win before the regular season wraps up. According to KenPom, the Runnin' Utes have a 48% win probability against Colorado. For reference, their home game against UCF on Feb. 21 is the only other game Utah has better than a 30% win probability rate in (34%).

Trip To Waco, Texas, Concludes Regular Season

Earning a road win over a program that's historically been one of the better ones in the Big 12 would be a great way for Jensen and company to build momentum heading into the conference tournament.

Baylor (13-9, 3-7 Big 12) hasn't looked like its normal self through 10 league games, though having to play Iowa State, Houston, Kansas and Texas Tech in four out of its first six Big 12 contests probably didn't help Scott Drew's group get off on the right foot. And even then, the Bears are still top-50 in the NET (No. 48) and on KenPom (No. 47).