Arizona Vs BYU 🏀 Game Preview/Discussion Thread 1/26/26 at 7pm ESPN

[WILD]

Arizona Vs BYU 🏀 Game Preview/Discussion Thread 1/26/26 at 7pm ESPN

The Big 12 is delivering some fireworks this season, and Monday night's showdown at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, looks like one of the best yet. The top-ranked Arizona Wildcats, sitting at a perfect 20-0 overall and 7-0 in conference play, roll into town to face the No. 13 BYU Cougars, who are 17-2 and 5-1 in the Big 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM local time on January 26, 2026, with ESPN carrying the broadcast. Arizona has been the class of the league under coach Tommy Lloyd, dominating with elite efficiency on both ends, while BYU, in first-year coach Kevin Young's debut campaign, has shown real toughness and firepower, especially after a hot stretch that included a massive freshman performance.

Arizona's offense has been clicking at a blistering pace, averaging around 89.8 points per game while shooting over 51% from the field. Leading the way is a trio of standouts: freshman forward Koa Peat is the top scorer at 14.7 points per game, pulling down roughly 5.8 rebounds and dishing 2.7 assists with his versatile inside-out game. Right behind him is fellow freshman guard Brayden Burries, averaging 14.6 points, and veteran guard Jaden Bradley chipping in 13.5 points with strong playmaking and defensive tenacity. The Wildcats also get solid contributions from big man Motiejus Krivas inside and depth that allows them to wear teams down. Their defense has been lockdown, forcing turnovers and limiting opponents' shooting, which has helped them stay undefeated through neutral-site tests and true road games.

BYU counters with one of the most explosive young cores in the country. Freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa has been the headliner, recently exploding for a school freshman-record 43 points in a win over Utah, and he's averaging in the mid-teens while showcasing elite scoring versatility as a 6-9 wing. Guards Rob Wright (Robert Wright III) and Richie Saunders form a dynamic backcourt duo, each putting up around 15 points per game with Saunders adding rebounding punch and Wright providing steady leadership. Big man Keba Keita brings athleticism in the paint with rim protection and highlight-reel finishes. The Cougars are scoring at a high clip themselves—around 86-87 points per game—and their home crowd could make this a tough environment. Experts see a high-scoring, competitive battle where Arizona's depth and experience might give them the edge, but BYU's home cooking and star power could absolutely keep it close or even pull off the upset.

Let's talk about the Wildcats Vs Cougars! 

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[|ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ|]

I'm expecting AJ Dybantsa to get the babysitting treatment from the refs all game. He might even break the all time record for most FT attempts in a single game. Phantom foul calls will turn the game into a farce on national television. Padilla working?

[|ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ|]

I'm expecting AJ Dybantsa to get the babysitting treatment from the refs all game. He might even break the all time record for most FT attempts in a single game.

Close enough

[arxpert]

Real fans know that was a 10-15pts Win and the ref shenanigans only prove BYU is weaker and Arizona is stronger. We even showed we could close a game out against all that nonsense on the Road with all the mistakes that weren't even mistakes by us.

How the NCAA was allowed to insert Tony Padilla into that game is beyond me.

I am happy to see we won it, but Tommy definitely showed 1 weakness overall which is his affinity for not being in control of his team.

This is how you lose March Madness games when you are clearly the better team. Like Illinois vs Arizona in the meltdown under Lutey Ball.

The truth is Tommy needs to coach end of game scenarios better.

Kevin Young is a much better coach than Tommy in terms of the X's and O's as well as Defensive sets.

Tommy rides talent and this year has figured out how to have iron-balls to sit there when it is very dicey and expect things to automatically work out.

As always, it is better to learn the lesson with a Win, but I promise you that losing this game would have derailed a ton of confidence that would have been very unnecessary.

We are not supposed to win Every game, but you aren't supposed to lose one like that under those types of circumstances.

So credit to Bradley and Burries for not quitting.

BYU had a better plan, but we had the better "team" as a whole. Exposing BYU as paper thin.

This serves as a Tommy Lloyd Appreciation Post.
Thank you for your attention on this matter.

Onward and Up
BEARDOWN

[arxpert]

I'm expecting AJ Dybantsa to get the babysitting treatment from the refs all game. He might even break the all time record for most FT attempts in a single game. Phantom foul calls will turn the game into a farce on national television. Padilla working?

Yes to all. But Tommy used that to his advantage. Shutting down basically everything else and deciding that AJ and Richie Saunders couldn't score 80+ points against us

[KansasCityCats]

I agree...except for the claim that Young is a better defensive coach.

Arizona is #10 in defensive efficiency, while BYU is #28.

On Pomeroy's site, Arizona is #3 and BYU is #24.

Not only are the defensive metrics better, the Cats have played a drastically tougher schedule (#1 SOS on Pomeroy, #2 on ESPN).

Also, Arizona just beat BYU head to head, despite ridiculous calls in favor of AJD, which skewed the final score.

It's ridiculous that a foul is called every time AJD misses a shot.  He's unbelievably talented but he's out of control.  On the road (and without Padilla), refs won't put up with that crap.

[arxpert]

Arizona is #10 in defensive efficiency, while BYU is #28.

On Pomeroy's site, Arizona is #3 and BYU is #24.

In the macro of the metrics, those 10/28 or 3/24 are not that far apart when there are hundreds of teams to look at.

Percentile wise, not far off.

Kevin Young has less talent and does more with it. We have better talent and for a change they are playing to their levels lately.

I don't proclaim we will go undefeated nor should we consider it, but the fact of the matter is losing yesterday would have been devastating with all circumstances considered.

Losing a game like 80-73 where we just were "off" would be more reasonable.

We don't need to lose our minds over a loss. We just need to accept it and move on if/when it happens.

I am constantly saying that it is good to learn X Y Z lessons when Winning the game. This was a major situation where we needed the win and not to squander by the shenanigans.

[KansasCityCats]

Definitely expect the Cats to lose a few. The schedule is brutal, we start three freshmen and our upperclassmen weren't considered NBA prospects until they set foot in Tucson.

The gap from 1 to 25 isn't significant in terms of defensive metrics but Lloyd shouldn't be fully discredited for taking a team that generally plays uptempo to be a consensus top-10 defense. The staff prefers to allow quick threes, in lieu of easy buckets in the paint. So far, so good.