No. 23 BYU has opened the season with a scoring spree, and the Cougars will try to keep that roll going Thursday night when Montana State comes to Provo, Utah.
BYU is 3-0 and has looked every bit like a team that wants to run the floor and light up the scoreboard. The Cougars are averaging 100.0 points per game after putting up 98 in Tuesday’s 98-82 win over Queens (N.C.)
University at the Marriott Center. That came on the heels of a 108-67 rout of Omaha last Friday, and BYU has scored at least 94 points in all three victories.
Rob Wright III has been right in the middle of it. The Big 12 player of the week scored 21 points and handed out six assists against Queens, shooting 9 of 19 from the field.
BYU as a whole was sharp, hitting 53.8% of its shots and going 17 of 37 from 3-point range. The Cougars buried 12 threes in the opening half alone.
Bruce Branch III, Jaxon Kohler and Nate Pickens each finished with 15 points in the up-tempo win. All five BYU starters knocked down at least two 3-pointers, and Kohler went 3-for-3 from deep while also leading the team with eight rebounds.
“We have so many talented shooters,” Wright said. “It's like anytime you make it one more (pass), you just know the ball's probably going in. So we just try and trust each other and keep building that trust, and we know the shots gonna keep falling.”
Even with BYU pushing the pace, Queens hung around enough to make the second half interesting, outscoring the Cougars 44-40 after trailing 54-42 at the break. BYU led by as many as 22 before the Royals trimmed the margin.
Kevin Young said the part that stands out most is how efficiently his team is operating, even if he still sees room for more.
“I think the efficiency is what I get the most excited about,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “I still feel a little frustration where I think we're leaving money on the table. This team's secret sauce is to play unselfishly, and when we do that, I think we're going to score a lot of points.”
Young also said he likes the way these early games are challenging his team before conference play arrives. He pointed to Montana State, the Big Sky Conference preseason favorite, and Queens, which has four starters back from its 2025-26 NCAA tournament squad, as useful tests.
“You want to get tested,” Young said. “You don't want to come out and just win those games by 40 or 50 points.
If you play a good team and you win by that, great. But it's hard to do against a team of that caliber.
That's a team that will be in contention to win their league, and be in contention to make the tournament. So I hope that maybe that makes that win age well.
“But,” he added, “more than anything, it was good for our guys to play against grown men who are good basketball players and test us in ways that, in some respects, haven't been tested like that in certain instances.”
Montana State arrives at 1-1 after picking up its first win Saturday, an 83-70 decision over Long Beach State. Nine Bobcats scored in that game, led by Jeremiah Davis, who posted his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jed Miller added 14 points with four 3-pointers, and Christian King scored 12.
The Bobcats shot 51.7% from the field, making 30 of 58 attempts, and connected on 11 shots from beyond the arc.
“I'm really proud of all the different contributors,” Montana State coach Matt Logie said. “To get nine guys in scoring ... was tremendous for us. Jeremiah got hit with a couple fouls early but then was able to bounce back.”
In Other News...
BYU Fans Suddenly Have A Very Uncomfortable Reason To Watch Utah
The latest College Football Playoff rankings gave the Big 12 a jolt of credibility, with Utah sitting at No. 2, BYU at No. 10, Texas Tech at No. 12 and Houston at No. 14. For BYU, the placement is a reminder that the Cougars are still very much in the mix, but also that the path ahead is crowded and shaped by what happens around them as much as what happens in Provo.
Utahs position is the one that now looms largest for BYU fans, because the Utes are in prime shape to reach the playoff if they keep winning and potentially add a Big 12 title to their resume. That creates the uncomfortable part for Cougar supporters: the conference race, the rankings and the playoff math are all tangled together, and BYUs hopes may depend on watching a rival navigate the exact finish line the Cougars want to reach themselves. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Baylor Game Plan Just Got More Complicated Than Fans Hoped
BYUs first injury report for the Baylor game gave a clearer picture of where the Cougars stand, and it was not exactly the clean bill of health fans might have wanted. Running back LJ Martin was listed as probable, while linebacker Isaiah Glasker was questionable and cornerback Evan Johnson and tight end Roger Saleapaga were doubtful. With several BYU players already having stepped into larger roles because of injuries, the report only adds to the sense that the Cougars are still managing their depth as they head into another Big 12 test.
Baylors report was shorter, with six players listed and starting defensive lineman Devonte Tezino the only notable name on it. Even so, the contrast does not make BYUs side look any simpler, especially with some injured Cougars expected to miss the game. For a team that has had to lean on next-man-up production already, the final availability picture could shape how aggressive the game plan can be once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Is About To Get A Scoring Boost It Really Needed
BYU is set to get a welcome addition back in the rotation when Dawson Baker is expected to return for the upcoming game against Montana State. After being sidelined for nearly a year following multiple knee injuries and surgeries, Baker has finally been cleared to play, giving the Cougars a chance to add a proven scoring option they have been missing.
Bakers return matters because BYU has been looking for more punch off the bench, and his presence should help in both depth and offense. Coaches and players have been upbeat about what he can bring, and even after such a long layoff, there is real anticipation around how quickly he can settle back into a meaningful role. [Read more 🡒]