In 1974, a proposal was presented to create a trophy—a symbol to be awarded annually to Utah's best college basketball team.
The concept was accepted and for the first two years the in-state title was awarded to the USU Aggies, although no actual trophy had been determined.
In 1977, after Weber State won the title for the first time, an Ogden businessman located a pioneer bucket at a local auction, complete with a history of how it had been found.
[1] The plaque on the bucket includes a map with the names and locations of the four original schools (BYU, U of U, USU, and WSU or WSC for Weber State College).
The plaque includes the caption "The Oquirrh Bucket Utah State Collegiate Champ Basketball".