Cougar charge! BYU basketball elite trio sets sights on Big 12 supremacy

PROVO: The BYU Cougars are roaring louder than ever as their electrifying stretch in Big 12 play transforms them from dark‑horse contenders into one of college basketball’s toughest outs this season.

After a gut‑checking 89‑84 victory over rival Utah that extended their win streak to 12 games, the Cougars’ best in over a decade, BYU has continued building momentum that head coach Kevin Young’s squad hopes will carry deep into March.

The Cougars followed that triumph with another gritty performance against TCU at the Marriott Center, rallying from a halftime deficit behind standout bucket‑makers and lockdown defense en route to a 76‑70 win. AJ Dybantsa led the way with a 25‑point explosion, while Richie Saunders hit key late treys and Rob Wright contributed efficient scoring throughout.

This week has seen BYU catching national attention beyond just wins and losses. Discussions on local sports talk and analyst panels have zeroed in on where the Cougars belong in the national picture after their AP Poll slip; a topic that has sparked sharp debate among fans and pundits alike.

As BYU prepares for a critical road test at #15 Texas Tech, the Cougars are riding confidence built from both talent and recent signature moments. What once seemed like a program reshaping itself under Young has gelled into a potential Big 12 powerhouse, driven by a Big Three that opponents must game‑plan for every night.

With the midpoint of conference play looming, and March just weeks away, BYU’s focus is clear: keep the charge going, protect home court, and prove that this run isn’t a flash in the pan – it’s the new standard in Provo.

ARIZONA VS ARIZONA STATE

Looking ahead in the Big 12’s national showcase, BYU isn’t the only team drawing headlines this week. Arizona State is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown with No. 1-ranked Arizona, an unbeaten squad that also happens to be the Sun Devils’ fiercest rival. ASU (10-6, 1-2) will make the annual trek south to the McKale Center on Jan. 14, a venue renowned for its intense, nearly uncontainable crowds.

Coach Bobby Hurley’s roster is loaded with international talent and transfers, but the only player who fully grasps the rivalry’s weight is senior guard Bryce Ford. “There are very few places in the country that have that type of crowd and intensity,” Hurley said. “If you have a bad team with a great crowd, it won’t matter. But they’re loaded, really good players, well-coached. It’s hard to simulate what they’re going to experience there.”

Freshman center Massamba Diop, who has been blossoming for ASU lately, will be tested like never before against Arizona’s dominant interior presence. Diop has averaged 18.3 points and 6.6 rebounds over the last seven games, but Hurley stressed that his defensive presence will be crucial. “Arizona is as good as anybody in the country at scoring in the lane,” Hurley said. “Massamba’s length and activity in the paint are going to be key to our ability to hang with them.”

Arizona has dominated the series recently, winning the last five matchups, but ASU hopes that last season’s dramatic three-quarter-court buzzer-beater by Desmond Cambridge Jr. still serves as inspiration for what’s possible when the stakes are at their highest.