The No. 10 BYU Cougars secured their first-ever win at Bramlage Coliseum with an 83-73 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats in the Big 12 conference opener. AJ Dybantsa led BYU with 24 points despite foul trouble, while the Cougars dominated the rebounding battle. Kansas State struggled from three-point range, shooting just 3-of-21.
MANHATTAN, Kansas — In a matchup billed as a clash between top scorers AJ Dybantsa and P.J. Haggerty, the No. 10 BYU Cougars (13-1, 1-0 Big 12) prevailed 83-73 against the Kansas State Wildcats (9-5, 0-1 Big 12) on January 3, 2026, at Bramlage Coliseum. This marked BYU's inaugural victory at the venue in their 11th all-time meeting with Kansas State.
BYU jumped out to an early lead after an 11-2 run midway through the first half, holding Kansas State scoreless from the field for seven minutes. The Cougars led 45-35 at halftime despite committing 12 turnovers in the opening period, finishing with 19 total. They shot 44% from the field and 38% from three-point range overall.
Dybantsa, the nation's second-leading scorer at 23.1 points per game, tallied 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding seven rebounds and three assists, though he committed seven turnovers and sat much of the first half due to fouls. Robert Wright III contributed 18 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Richie Saunders added 13 points. Keba Keita had a career-high 16 rebounds to go with 11 points, helping BYU win the rebounding edge 47-35, including 16 offensive boards.
For Kansas State, Haggerty matched Dybantsa's scoring with 24 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on physical drives. Abdi Bashir Jr. scored 16 points, David Castillo 13, and Khamari McGriff 12 with eight rebounds. The Wildcats shot a respectable 42% on two-pointers but were dismal from distance, going 3-of-21 (14%)—their first threes bookending a 33-minute drought.
Kansas State coach Jerome Tang noted, “The ones that we took, they weren’t bad shots... I don’t know why we didn’t take certain shots that we normally take.” Wildcats guard P.J. Haggerty added, “We have to capitalize off the turnovers they gave us... We just lost but it’s one game. Just try to flip the page.” BYU's win extends their streak to 10, their longest since 2010. Both teams next face tough opponents: BYU at Arizona State, Kansas State at No. 1 Arizona.
