Kennard Davis Jr.’s journey at BYU hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, but Monday night offered a glimpse of why the Cougars brought him in-and what he might still become.
The 6-foot-6 wing transferred in from Eastern Illinois, where he averaged 16.3 points and shot 38% from three last season. Expectations were clear: bring scoring, stretch the floor, and add some defensive versatility on the perimeter. But the transition to Provo has been anything but seamless.
Davis has started every game he’s been eligible for-17 in total-but a mid-November suspension stemming from a DUI arrest sidelined him for three. He’s also been slowed by lingering injuries, and his production has reflected that.
Coming into Monday’s game, he was averaging just 7.2 points and shooting 31.5% from deep. At one point, he was mired in an 0-for-18 slump from beyond the arc over five games.
Confidence? Shaken.
Shot? Off.
Role? Uncertain.
Then came the second half against No. 1 Arizona.
With BYU down big and searching for answers, Davis found his rhythm-fast. He knocked down five straight threes, igniting a furious rally in what turned into a nail-biter of an 86-83 loss at the Marriott Center. It was the kind of performance that can flip a narrative, and maybe even a season.
“Moo’s had a rough go, but he’s a tough kid,” head coach Kevin Young said. “He stepped up and made plays.
The game’s about making shots, and he can shoot. That’s why he’s on the floor.”
Young wasn’t just talking about the scoring, either. Davis also brought energy on the defensive end, something the coaching staff has been pushing for. According to Young, Davis outperformed some of his teammates who logged more minutes-and may have earned himself a bigger role moving forward.
“Around AJ [Dybantsa] and Rob [Wright], we need guys that can knock shots down,” Young added. “He definitely turned the tide.”
Davis wasn’t the only spark off the bench. Aleksej Kostic came in and delivered two clutch threes of his own in the second half. BYU shot 10-for-20 from beyond the arc after halftime, helping them claw back from a 19-point deficit with just under 11 minutes to play.
“Moo was bound to make something,” senior guard Richie Saunders said. “He was due.
He’s an incredible shooter, and I was really happy he found that rhythm. And Alex-that’s what he does.
You guys don’t always see it, but we do. Proud of him for stepping up.”
Despite the late surge, BYU still found itself down 82-71 with just over a minute left. But the Cougars kept pressing, eventually getting the ball back down just one with 12 seconds to go.
With the game on the line, Wright drove into the key looking for a go-ahead bucket. But Arizona’s Brayden Burries had other plans.
He left Davis in the corner, rotated over, and blocked Wright’s shot clean. Burries recovered the ball, hit two free throws, and sealed the win for the Wildcats.
It was a tough ending to a game that saw BYU’s stars struggle. Wright shot just 3-for-15, and Dybantsa wasn’t much better at 6-for-24.
Saunders had already fouled out. Still, Young trusted his backcourt in the final moments.
“Quite frankly, he and AJ, neither one of them really had it going, but those are our guys,” Young said. “We ride and die with them.
The first option was to get AJ the ball. They clogged the area we were trying to get it to.
Then we got the ball in Rob’s hands to make a play.”
This loss stings, no doubt. But there’s no time to dwell.
The Cougars, now 17-3 overall and 5-2 in Big 12 play, are staring down a brutal stretch: a road trip to No. 14 Kansas, a home showdown with No.
10 Houston, and a rematch with Arizona in Tucson-all in the next three weeks.
“I feel good about our stacking up with any team in this country,” Young said.
Saunders echoed that belief, but with a caveat.
“It sucks when this happens and you come up short, right?” he said. “But if we can figure out how to just execute for that full 40 minutes, and not have lapses, that’s when we can reach our potential.”
For BYU, the path forward is clear-but not easy. And if Monday night proved anything, it’s that Kennard Davis Jr. might still have something to say about how far this team can go.