BYU’s exhibition run left the Cougars with a 2-0 record, but the more revealing part was how they got there. The wins over Nebraska and UNLV showed a team that can create chaos on defense, launch plenty of threes and lean on a handful of players who already look ready to carry real weight this season.
The Cougars beat Nebraska 72-61 at the Marriott Center on October 16, then handled UNLV 89-77 on the road on October 24. Robby McCombs of Vanquish the Foe also reported that BYU defeated Long Beach State 102-53 in a closed-door scrimmage on October 10.
A few themes showed up again and again across the exhibitions. One of the biggest was turnovers.
BYU forced 18 in each game, a number it reached only three times all of last season. Against Nebraska, Nate Pickens and Brooks Bahr helped lead some full-court pressure.
Against UNLV, that pressure showed up for most of the night, with the whole team taking part. Bahr, in particular, made his presence felt with steals on consecutive inbound plays, and the sequence helped swing momentum BYU’s way.
That kind of full-court pressure is not usually how Kevin Young’s team has operated. It has mostly been used in spots, which makes it worth watching whether the Cougars keep leaning into it once the games count. The exhibitions do come with the usual caution, but there was enough there to suggest it could become part of the identity on that end.
There are still real questions near the rim, though. Replacing Keba Keita’s shot-blocking won’t be simple. BYU does have length, and there is room for that to matter in the paint, but none of the players on the roster who were in college last season averaged even one block per game.
What does seem certain is that BYU is going to let it fly from deep. Across the two exhibitions, the Cougars took 66 threes and made 30% of them. The shot-making wasn’t there at a high level yet, but the roster has multiple shooters, and six different players connected on at least one three in exhibition play.
The rebounding numbers were mixed. BYU out-rebounded Nebraska 39-35, then lost the battle on the boards 41-34 against UNLV.
Still, the Cougars have the size to be a strong rebounding team. Jaxon Kohler, one of the best rebounders in the country last season, looks ready to be a major factor again, and Bruce Branch, Khadim Mboup and Jake Wahlin also held their own.
All four grabbed at least four rebounds in both exhibitions.
A few players separated themselves from the pack. Collin Chandler led BYU in scoring, averaging 21 points per game.
He did damage in a lot of ways, scoring from outside, getting to the basket and catching lobs for dunks. He shot 6-15 from three, hit 14-17 at the line and added five assists against UNLV.
Rob Wright kept doing what he does. He averaged 18 points and 5.5 assists, and he was the spark behind BYU’s comeback against UNLV.
Wright scored eight straight points during an 11-0 run that pulled the Cougars within one at halftime. He remains the kind of guard who can score when needed, but also set the table for everyone else.
Branch was another eye-opener. The freshman averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds, and he looked far more settled than most first-year players do this early.
He handed out eight assists against UNLV, kept making the right reads and showed the kind of feel that makes him hard to take off the floor. Based on how complete his game already looks, a triple-double somewhere down the line would not be a shock.
Kohler, meanwhile, underscored just how important he is. He averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, posted a double-double against Nebraska and knocked down three threes against UNLV.
That combination makes him a tough cover. He can stretch the floor, work in the paint and use his footwork to create space.
He gives Young a type of big man he has not had before, and he raises the ceiling of the team.
Depth was a problem last season, when injuries and other issues kept BYU from relying on its bench the way it needed to. This year’s group looks more promising.
Tyler Betsey drew a lot of offseason buzz, though he was quiet in the exhibitions, averaging 1.5 points and 3.5 rebounds while going 1-6 from the field and 1-6 from three. Even so, his track record suggests the shooting should come around after he shot nearly 41% last season.
Mboup and Wahlin both helped on the glass and should keep doing that job. Mboup also flashed as a lob target, and he even shared the floor with Kohler at times against UNLV, which leaves open the possibility of them playing together in some frontcourt looks.
Bahr was one of the more welcome surprises. He gave BYU energy off the bench, defended well in both games and attacked the rim without hesitation. If that level of effort sticks, he should work his way into the rotation.
Pickens logged 13 minutes per game and figures to have a role because of his defense alone. He shot 39% from three before arriving at BYU, though he went 1-5 from deep in the exhibitions.
After missing last season with an injury, the shots should start dropping once he settles in. His experience and leadership also matter for this group.
Brody Kozlowski got back on the floor for BYU against UNLV for the first time since January 25, 2025. Injuries have followed him through his career, so his role bears watching. Dawson Baker and Dovydas Buika were the only Cougars who did not play in the preseason while recovering from injuries.
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BYU Has A Chance To Answer One Big Question Against ASU
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Arizona States offense has had trouble in a few key spots, especially in offensive success rate and on third down, and BYUs defense may be positioned to press that issue even more. The Cougars also appear to have an edge up front, since ASU quarterbacks have taken sacks at a higher rate than some of the previous opponents BYU has faced. For a team still looking to answer bigger questions about its ceiling, this is the kind of game that can say plenty even before the final score is known. [Read more 🡒]