Ross Hodge Breaks Down BYU’s Star Freshman, Team’s Response to Skid

The West Virginia Mountaineers (16-12, 7-8) host the No. 19 BYU Cougars (20-8, 8-7) Saturday evening at Hope Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. EST and the action will broadcast on FOX.

West Virginia is reeling after suffering its third consecutive loss, marking the first losing streak of the season, while BYU has dropped two of its last three games since losing senior guard Richie Saunders to a season-ending injury.

WVU head coach Ross Hodge met with the media on Friday to discuss the upcoming matchup with the nationally ranked Cougars.

Commenting on BYU freshman guard AJ Dybantsa potentially selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft

He’s definitely worthy of all the praise and attention that he’s gotten, and I think what impresses you as much as his talent, which is very impressive obviously, just his commitment to his teammates and how he celebrates those guys. And his leadership for a young player has been really impressive on top of what he can do individually.

Dybantsa facilitating the offense

They do a good job of getting him in space and put shooting around him. He’s evolved as the year’s went on. For as a dynamic as a scorer as he his, he’s gotten better as a facilitator. At this point, you can basically label him as point guard for him. The ball will be in his hands 75% of the game, the other 25% - maybe 70/30 – in (sophomore guard) Rob Wright’s hands, but they do a good job and his pick and roll decision making and reads has gotten better with his size. He’s a challenge for sure.

The Mountaineers’ morale after three straight loss

It’s good. Obviously, the initial aftermath of any of those losses – in the locker room you’re going to be disappointed, but, again, it’s mature enough and I think even from a leadership standpoint it’s hard to not fall in the trap of you win you’re great, you lose you’re terrible. We’ve been fortunate enough to win some games - one possession games – that easily could have went the other way and all three of these last games that we’ve been in easily could have went our way, but they didn’t. You’re not looking at an insurmountable mountain to climb. You’re literally looking at it a block out here, a free throw there, a rebound here, a made shot here, a missed shot here, that’s the difference in what you’re dealing with. And do you have the emotional intelligence and the maturity to stay the course, stay together, which this group does better than anybody I’ve been around and still find the level of excitement in what you’re doing every day and that’s where if you love basketball and you love each other and you love challenges, then you’re going to be in the right place and there’s going to be a certain level of excitement in the midst of disappointing times.