KenPom Predicts Big 12 Tournament Game Between BYU and WVU

On Tuesday evening, BYU kicked off postseason play with a first round win over Kansas State. The Cougars will look to continue their two-game winning streak on Wednesday night against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Mountaineers beat the Cougars in Morgantown a few weeks ago.

KenPom, the industry leader in college basketball analytics, predicted BYU vs WVU. KenPom gives BYU an 69% chance to win with a projected final score of 75-69.

BYU is currently ranked no. 25 in KenPom. The Cougars are ranked 9th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 72nd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. West Virginia ranks 56th in KenPom with an adjusted offensive efficiency ranking of 137th and a defensive efficiency ranking of 17th. On paper, BYU should be able to generate stops against a bad West Virginia offense. However, getting stops has been hard to come by over the last month.

Before losing 8 out of 11 games, BYU's defense ranked inside the top 15 in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Cougars' defensive rating has plummeted to the low 70's, signaling the issues that they have had on that end of the floor over the last few months.

BYU showed much better defensive effort against Texas Tech. That is the level of defense that BYU will have to play if it hopes to make any noise in March. If BYU beats Kansas State, they will advance to the second round for a rematch against WVU.

Kevin Young Provides Injury Update on Rob Wright III

On Tuesday night, BYU outscored Kansas State 105-91 to advance to the second round of the Big 12 tournament. Midway through the second half, BYU star point guard Rob Wright III took an elbow to the face and did not return to the game.

After the game, BYU head coach Kevin Young provided an update on Wright.

"They're callin git a lip laceration," Young said, "Everything else checked out. So, you know, barring anything unforeseen, Rob's a pretty tough young man, I'd assume he's going to play."

After the game, Wright III met with reporters with bloody and swollen lips. He told Mitch Harper of KSL Sports that he received stitches in his lips and a dentist put his tooth back in place. However, he clarified that he will still play on Wednesday against West Virginia.

BYU’s Robert Wright caught an elbow in the face, knocked his tooth back and got his lip swollen and bloody.

But he said he will play tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/dBLdiDokep
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 11, 2026

Wright also told Jarom Jordan of BYUtv that he was getting ready to go back into the game before the game ended.