KANSAS CITY — BYU basketball coach Kevin Young acknowledges a significant shift in his team’s performance over the past 11 days.
The Cougars, who forced 22 turnovers and out-rebounded West Virginia by five boards in Wednesday night’s 68-48 victory, appear markedly different from the team that lost to West Virginia 79-71 on February 28.
“Just the toughness that we have found over the last 10 days has really been the difference,” Young said after AJ Dybantsa scored 27 points and Kennard “Moo” Davis added 20 in the Cougars’ Round of 16 win at the Big 12 tournament.
The Cougars (23-10) face a challenging quarterfinal matchup against No. 2 seed Houston (26-5), ranked No. 5 nationally, on Thursday at 5 p.m. MDT at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and broadcast on BYU Radio 107.9 FM/BYURadio.org/BYU Radio app.
Young has emphasized a return to fundamentals following recent losses to UCF, West Virginia, and Cincinnati. “We took it back to the basics…and we just dumbed it down with our defense, got a lot less coachy, and a lot more just ‘do it harder, longer, stronger, faster’ and kept it real simple,” he explained.
Dybantsa attributes his recent success to increased aggression. “Last time we were up in West Virginia, I think I was a little passive,” he said, noting that opponents began double-teaming him, leading to turnovers.
Houston represents a significant hurdle, as they have defeated BYU in all four Big 12 matchups over the past three seasons. This includes an 86-55 loss last year and a 74-54 defeat in the 2026 Big 12 semifinal game in Kansas City.
A close contest occurred on February 7, when Houston narrowly defeated BYU 77-66 at the Marriott Center, despite 28 points from Dybantsa. BYU struggled from the free-throw line in that game, shooting 16 of 28.
Young expressed respect for Houston’s program and coach Kelvin Sampson, who led the Cougars to the Big 12 title and the national championship game last year. He noted that Houston’s defensive aggression requires a high level of toughness.
BYU previously faced Houston in the 2025 Big 12 tournament, where Houston jumped to a 15-0 lead and BYU struggled with shooting and turnovers in the first half. Young believes playing against Houston provides valuable experience as BYU strives to reach a similar level of success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the score of BYU’s most recent game against West Virginia?
BYU defeated West Virginia 68-48 on Wednesday night.
Who are BYU’s leading scorers in the Big 12 tournament so far?
AJ Dybantsa scored 27 points and Kennard “Moo” Davis added 20 in BYU’s Round of 16 win.
What is Houston’s record against BYU in Big 12 games?
Houston is 4-0 against BYU in Big 12 games.
Given Houston’s previous success against BYU, what adjustments will the Cougars need to craft to have a chance at victory in Thursday’s quarterfinal?