BYU’s 2025-2026 Basketball Season

BYU Blasts the Badgers in Salt Lake City

In the first of three games the Cougs would play in SLC, they took on the Wisconsin Badgers. Another team that would eventually make it to the Final Four Tournament at the end of the season, this too was a game in which BYU could build their resume. BYU left no doubt against the team they bested to get to the 2025 Sweet Sixteen, defeating Wisconsin, 98-70. Dybantsa had 18 points, Wright had 10, Dawson Baker had 11, and Saunders had 26.

Cougars Clobber Miami in Florida

AJ Dybantsa would score 16 points, and Rob Wright would get 17. BYU would win their third game in their first six games, which would be a victory over an opponent who would make the Big Dance in March. While not a true road game, it was played in the Hurricanes’ backyard, giving BYU another boost. They’d follow it up with an 83-79 win over a Dayton team that would win 26 games this past season.

Winning the Holy War on the Hardwood

In the space of two weeks, BYU blasted Utah twice. In the first game in Salt Lake City, BYU’s big three brought the thunder. AJ Dybantsa had 20 points, Robert Wright III had 23 points, and Richie Saunders had a double-double. Saunders scored 24 points and snagged 14 rebounds, and BYU won, 89-84.

The second game, this one at home for BYU, was even more brutal, with the big three again leading the way. Saunders had 12 points, Wright had 21, and AJ Dybantsa had his best game as a Cougar. Dybantsa slaughtered Utah, scoring a career high 43 points in the 91-78 win.

Cougars Crush Cylcones

BYU’s victory over Iowa State in Provo was the first big win the Cougars had after Richie Saunders was lost for the season to injury. AJ Dybantsa dominated ISU. Dybantsa nearly had a triple-double. He had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. BYU would defeat the Cyclones, 79-69.

BYU Finally Beats Texas Tech

The Cougars got their second win over a top ten team when they defeated Texas Tech in Provo to close the regular season. After how the football team struggled in 2025, and an earlier heartbreaking 81-74 defeat in Lubbock, this victory was cathartic. BYU got free from that albatross and beat Texas Tech, 82-76. Dybantsa had 21 points, and Wright had 27 points in the BYU victory.

Looking to the Future

BYU faced criticism for how their season ended, but given how many injuries they had, including the loss of starters Richie Saunders and Dawson Baker for the season. But BYU was led by freshmen and sophomores, including a sophomore head coach. BYU still went 23-12, with eight wins over teams that made the field of 68, and nine teams that also won 23 or more games. The Cougars also established a powerful home court advantage, going 16-2 in the State of Utah this season.

2026-2027 BYU Basketball

Kevin Young and BYU should be even further along in his third season this fall. Young is 49-22 and even with potential NBA Draft entries, BYU should get no less than 20 wins and a third straight trip to March Madness. AJ Dybantsa is likely gone, and maybe Robert Wright III. But the likely return of Dominique Diomande, Kennard Davis Jr., Khadim Mboup, along with freshman stars Bruce Branch III and Dean Rueckert BYU will reload, not rebuild. If by some miracle they bring Dybantsa or Wright back, BYU will be a Final Four and Big 12 Champion contender in 2026-2027.