BYU keeps finding new ways to overwhelm opponents, and the latest version came with the bench leading the charge in a 98-82 win over Queens.
The Cougars piled up points at a blistering pace again, extending their run to three straight games with at least 94. This one turned into a track meet, with BYU and Queens combining for 180 points in a game that never really settled into a slow rhythm.
What stood out most was how many different Cougars chipped in. BYU hit a season-high 17 threes and had eight players connect from deep, with seven of them knocking down at least two.
That kind of spread makes this offense hard to pin down. There’s no easy way to take away one option when the ball keeps flying around and shots keep dropping.
Jaxon Kohler was part of that problem for Queens. The center drilled three triples, giving BYU a stretch element that changes the geometry of the floor. He had only three games last season in which he made more.
Nate Pickens delivered the best outing of his BYU career, finishing with a season-high 15 points and going 3-5 from three. After sitting out a year, he’s starting to show the same kind of scoring punch he had at UC Riverside. That kind of bench lift is exactly what the Cougars can use as the season goes on.
Pickens is now the seventh BYU player to score in double figures this season, joining Rob Wright, Collin Chandler, Bruce Branch, Tyler Betsey, Jake Wahlin, and Kohler. Dawson Baker still hasn’t appeared yet while he continues working back from injury, which only adds to the depth already on display.
BYU also did a strong job protecting the paint. Queens usually does a lot of its damage inside, but the Cougars limited that lane and finished with a season-high eight blocks. Before this game, the Royals had scored 47% of their total points in the paint; BYU held them to 29% down low.
Queens stayed close by shooting the three well enough to keep pace. The Royals, who have not leaned on the arc much this season, made a season-high 14 threes. That was the one area where BYU wasn’t as sharp defensively.
The Royals also edged the Cougars on the glass, 39-38, another area BYU will need to tighten up.
Brooks Bahr’s line won’t jump off the page, but his 10 minutes were productive in ways that matter. He finished with three assists and a block, and his defense stood out most.
He stayed attached to every Queens player he guarded, bringing the kind of effort he’s shown all season. He already looks ahead of schedule.
In Other News...
BYU Is Suddenly At The Center Of A Big 12 Playoff Push
The Big 12s playoff picture has started to look a lot different, and BYU is right in the middle of it. During a recent discussion, Josh Pate and Joel Klatt pointed to Utah, BYU and Texas Tech as teams building strong College Football Playoff cases, with the league suddenly drawing more respect for what its top contenders have done on the field.
For BYU, that matters because the conversation is no longer just about staying relevant in the conference race. The bigger question is whether the Big 12s collective resume can stack up with the nations best, and whether the league could land as many as three playoff bids. In a selection process increasingly driven by resumes rather than brand names, BYU finds itself in a spot where every week can reshape both its own path and the conferences ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Defense Has A Turnover Problem At The Worst Time
BYUs defense has been doing plenty of the hard part this fall, getting hands on passes and forcing quarterbacks to fit the ball into tighter windows. The Cougars still lead the nation in pass breakups, but the turnover column has not followed, and the secondary has now gone five games without an interception as the 2026 season has worn on.
Injuries to Raider Damuni and Evan Johnson have thinned out the back end, and Mississippi State transfer Jayven Williams has been asked to help steady things while also adding his own pass breakups. Coaches and players know the frustration is in finishing those plays, not just contesting them, and they remain confident the interceptions will come if the defense keeps putting itself in position. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Bigger Baylor Test Than Fans Might Think
The loss to Utah was frustrating enough on its own, but it also offered a reminder that BYU can still be pulled into the kind of tight, mistake-heavy game that leaves little margin for error. Utah made the most of red-zone chances and turned four Bear Bachmeier interceptions into the difference in a 28-20 result, even as BYU stayed in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings and moved on to the next challenge on the schedule.
Baylor is the kind of follow-up opponent that can make that Utah game feel even more relevant. The Bears bring a defense that deserves real attention, and BYUs offensive picture is still shaped by the impact of LJ Martins injury, which adds another layer to a game that already asks plenty of the Cougars. If BYU wants to avoid letting one loss turn into a broader wobble, this is the sort of matchup that will show whether the response is immediate or still a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]