A lot of things have transpired for BYU since joining the Big 12 two seasons ago but if last year was any indication this program is trending in a great direction. Kevin Young barely skipped a beat in his debut season as a collegiate head coach, taking the Cougars to another brilliant season and putting them in this position to be even better in 2026.<\/p>\n
BYU finished last season with 26 wins, a 14-6 mark in a tough Big 12, and advanced to the first Sweet Sixteen in more than a decade. An outstanding effort included an upset win over Wisconsin in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but the expectations are even higher for the Cougars moving forward thanks to the offseason news.<\/p>\n
Not only are the Cougars riding their recent momentum, but they return significant talent, bring in a few important transfers, and landed one of the nation\u2019s top recruiting classes, including a name that will be known in many households. Although Egor Demin is off to the NBA after brilliant work as a freshman, there\u2019s enough talent in Provo for what could be a magical season.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll get into all of the things that could contribute to another great year for BYU and there\u2019s a plethora of talent on this roster. BYU could boast one of the nation\u2019s best lineups and we\u2019ll dive both into that and the key backups, as well as a few notes on the schedule too.<\/p>\n
Projected Starters<\/strong>Guard \u2013 Robert Wright III (Sophomore)<\/strong><\/p>\n One of last season\u2019s Top 25 recruits, Wright <\/a>found his first collegiate home at Baylor and his rookie season saw him earn All-Freshman honors in the Big 12. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 assists and grew into a leadership role for the Bears with decent scoring and assist numbers. It\u2019s an important sophomore year for Wright, but BYU expects him to be masterful in leading this offense.<\/p>\n Guard \u2013 Kennard Davis (Junior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Something of an underrated offseason addition, Davis <\/a>could step up in a major way for the Cougars after previous work at Southern Illinois. The Saint Louis native thrilled close to home, averaging 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season with the Salukis in his first season as a starter. Davis made 37% of his 3-pointers last season and him staying a starter with the Cougars rests on his ability to be a facilitator and playmaker in this offense.<\/p>\n Guard \u2013 Richie Saunders (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Last season was a major step forward for Saunders <\/a>and it\u2019s equally a major gain that he\u2019s back for his senior season with the Cougars. Named First Team All-Big 12 and the league\u2019s Most Improved Player, Saunders put up 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while knocking down 43% of his 3-pointers. The leading scorer last season, he took a major step forward as a starter last year and is a massive part of the equation here.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 AJ Dybantsa (Freshman)<\/strong><\/p>\n Considered by many the nation\u2019s top recruit, Dybantsa\u2019s decision to come to BYU is a major win for Young and his coaching staff, though the NIL support in Provo certainly helps. Dybantsa has excellent size and can impact the game all over the court. He\u2019s athletic, he can create shots and the 6-9 wing continues to develop his consistency outside the arc as well. We\u2019ll see how this highly-touted prospect develops at the college level likely in his only year with the Cougars.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 Keba Keita (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Keita <\/a>is a 6-7 big man originally from Mali who\u2019s done solid work in the state of Utah at the high school and college level. After underclassman seasons over at Utah, Keita slid over to BYU last season and averaged 7.4 points and 7.9 rebounds as the Cougars\u2019 starting center. They\u2019re expecting even more out of him this season, coming off a season where he made 67% of his field goal attempts.<\/p>\n Key Reserves<\/strong>Forward \u2013 Tyler Mrus (Junior)<\/strong><\/p>\n A 6-7 forward out of Washington, Mrus <\/a>put up some solid numbers at Idaho before joining the Cougars this season. After playing just two games in his first season, he became a full-time starter in the Vandals\u2019 frontcourt, putting up 9.7 points and 3.2 rebounds a game while knocking down 38% from outside the arc. He brings a new experienced piece off the bench, with the Cougars hoping he can knock down those shots when needed.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 Mihailo Boskovic (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Boskovic<\/a> is a 6-10 forward from Serbia who played significant basketball in Europe before coming to BYU last offseason. Technically a junior last year, he averaged 3.6 points and 1.7 rebounds as a solid backup in the frontcourt and the Cougars will hope for even more this season after showing some signs of brilliance.<\/p>\n Guard \u2013 Nate Pickens (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n