BYU Basketball Keeps Kansas State at Arm's Length for First Big 12 Win

The Cougars kicked off conference play with a road win

Jan 3, 2026; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles against Kansas State Wildcats guard Nate Johnson (34)] during the first half at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

On Saturday, BYU basketball kicked off conference play in Manhattan, Kansas against the Kansas State Wildcats. The Cougars led the entire second half on their way to an 83-73 win. With the win, BYU passed its first test in conference play and won its first true road game of the season.

AJ Dybantsa was excellent for BYU once again. Dybantsa finished with a team-high 24 points on 8/15 shooting. When Kansas State got off to a hot star offensively, it was Dybantsa that led BYU in scoring early in the game. Despite some early foul trouble, Dybantsa had 14 points in 14 minutes in the first half.

Kansas State got out to an early 12-7 lead. The Cougars clawed their way back and took a 19-18 lead and never gave it back. In the final six minutes of the first half, BYU went on a 16-8 run to take a 10-point lead. The Cougars kept Kansas State at arm's length the entire second half. BYU never led by less than six points in the second half.

Three other BYU starters scored in double digits. Rob Wright had 18 points on 6/15 from the field. Wright also led BYU with five assists.

Keba Keita had 11 points on 4/4 shooting and a game-high 16 rebounds. Keita was dominant on the boards and was the primary reason for BYU's 47-35 rebound advantage. BYU outrebounded Kansas State 16-11 on the offensive glass and Keita accounted for 8 of those offensive rebounds.

Richie Saunders didn't have his best shooting performance. He was 4/15 but he still managed to score 13 points. Most of Saunders' points came from the three-point line where he was 3/11.

Mihailo Boskovic made a big impact off the bench. He was a game-high +17 in 17 minutes played. He had nine points and three rebounds.

Abdullah Ahmed was impactful in his 12 minutes against Kansas State. He was +10 in 12 minutes and he had three blocks to go along with four points and a pair of rebounds. Ahmed gives BYU great depth and length in the frontcourt.

With the win over Kansas State, BYU has a really great chance to get off to a strong start in Big 12 play. The Cougars will be back in action on Wednesday at home against Arizona State. Then they will take on Utah and TCU. BYU has a 73% chance to win the next three games and start 4-0 in conference play.