Chris Crutchfield didn’t need much time after Omaha’s season-opening win to make the point. A 73-65 home victory over Mid-America Christian was a solid start, but Friday night is a different kind of test altogether.
The Mavericks head to Provo, Utah, for a meeting with No. 25 BYU, and Crutchfield made sure his team understood the jump in difficulty.
"I just told the guys (that) you got to bring your big boy pants because you know you’re going to be playing against a Top 25 team at home in their home opener," Crutchfield said. "We just got to be ready to play."
Omaha is 1-0 after that opening-night win, and so is BYU, which handled Ohio State 94-83 on Monday. The Cougars did it without 2026 NBA Draft top overall pick A.J. Dybantsa, then turned a sluggish first half into a runaway by scoring 60 points after the break.
BYU trailed 37-34 at halftime before taking over in the second half. Kevin Young said the Cougars settled into what they want to be.
"I think we just played to our identity," BYU coach Kevin Young said. "I thought in the first half, they put us in mud a little bit, particularly the first five or six minutes.
But the message for our guys coming into the game was just don’t make stuff up. This can be a very dynamic offensive team, so to hang 60 points in a half on somebody of that caliber is impressive."
Robert Wright III was the headliner, scoring 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting. He hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range and went 11 of 12 at the line while also adding five assists and only one turnover. Young praised the way he ran the show.
"He controlled the game," the coach said.
Tyler Betsey was just as direct about Wright’s impact.
"(Wright) is definitely the best player I’ve played with in college so far," said BYU forward Tyler Betsey, who played previously at Cincinnati and Syracuse.
The Cougars also showed plenty of scoring balance. Five players finished in double figures, with Betsey and Kentucky transfer Collin Chandler each scoring 15. Freshman Bruce Branch III added 10, and Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler posted 11 points and seven rebounds in his BYU debut.
That kind of depth is part of what Omaha is walking into on Friday, along with the crowd and the setting. The game will be BYU’s first on its home floor this season after opening at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. It also starts a four-game homestand for the Cougars.
Omaha’s opener had its own bright spots. Cahmai Crosby, the North Texas transfer, led the way with 21 points and four 3-pointers, while Deke Thompson and Jonny Jordan Jr. each added 13.
"We got a lot of different personalities, and (we) gel well," Crosby said. "We’re really close off the court (and) we hang out all the time off the court."
This will be the first meeting between Omaha and BYU.
In Other News...
Bear Bachmeiers Collapse Turned BYUs Best Chance Against Utah
Bear Bachmeier gave BYU just enough early spark to make the rivalry feel manageable, and for a while the Cougars had the kind of offensive rhythm that can change a game in a hurry. His 75-yard touchdown pass helped set the tone in a first half that suggested BYU might have found the right answers against Utah, even as the matchup tightened into the kind of physical, possession-by-possession fight these games usually become.
Then the second half turned into a different story, and the turnovers piled up at the worst possible time. Bachmeier finished with four interceptions, and each one chipped away at BYUs chances to build on its early momentum or recover once Utahs defense started dictating the pace. In a 28-20 loss, the Cougars were left to wonder how different the night might have looked if their quarterbacks best stretch had lasted a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Big 12 Path Just Got A Lot Tougher After Utah Loss
The loss in Salt Lake City did more than sting in the moment. It tightened the road ahead for BYU in the Big 12 race, with Utahs 28-20 win leaving the Cougars at 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, a mark that now puts a premium on every remaining league game. For a team that had been trying to stay in the thick of the title picture, the margin for error is suddenly a lot thinner.
Utah, meanwhile, kept rolling and is now sitting at 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play, which is why the Utes have suddenly become such a heavy favorite in the league chase. ESPNs projections reflect that shift, giving Utah a 93% chance to reach the Big 12 Championship Game and a 90% chance to make the College Football Playoff, a reminder of how quickly one rivalry result can reshape the path for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Heads To Utah With Playoff Pressure And One Huge Concern
Saturdays trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium has turned into one of the biggest games on BYUs schedule, with the Cougars heading into a Big 12 showdown that carries real weight in both the conference race and the College Football Playoff picture. Utah arrives unbeaten and sitting atop the league, while BYU comes in with one loss and a No. 9 ranking in the CFP standings, leaving little margin for error as the season tightens.
The Cougars do have some encouraging news on offense, with LJ Martin expected to play despite dealing with an injury. The bigger concern may be on the other side of the ball, where BYU is managing defensive absences at a time when every possession matters against a Utah team that has been hard to knock off balance. [Read more 🡒]