Kansas Holds Off BYU for Key Win

Jayhawks fend off late comeback attempt to take down No. 13 Cougars

Feb. 1, 2026 at 7:15am

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The Kansas Jayhawks picked up a 90-82 victory over the 13th-ranked BYU Cougars on Saturday evening. Head coach Bill Self was pleased with his team's strong first-half performance, but noted some late-game struggles and injuries that will need to be addressed going forward.

Why it matters

This win over a highly ranked opponent is a significant boost for Kansas as they look to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. However, the Jayhawks will need to find a way to maintain their high level of play for the full 40 minutes and ensure their key players remain healthy.

The details

Kansas raced out to a big lead in the first half, shooting 9-of-12 from three-point range. Bryson Tiller and Tre Bolden combined to go 5-of-5 from deep. However, the Jayhawks struggled to put the game away, as BYU made a late comeback attempt. Kansas also had to deal with injuries, as Elmarko and Darryn Peterson both exited the game early due to issues.

  • The game was played on January 31, 2026 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.

The players

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team.

Bryson Tiller

A Kansas player who had a strong shooting performance in the first half.

Tre Bolden

A Kansas player who also shot the ball well from three-point range in the first half.

Darryn Peterson

A Kansas player who exited the game early due to cramping issues.

Elmarko

A Kansas player who also left the game early due to an injury.

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What they’re saying

“I thought it was a great day. It was perfect. I thought that the GameDay was a great infomercial for our university and our athletic department. I thought it was great, well-attended, and a lot of energy. And the crowd certainly was everything that GameDay said it would be, and more.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach

“I have no idea. I'm not a doctor, but he definitely started cramping, so.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach

“I thought we took care of it. We took good shots. We got paint touches. And the ball moved, and then you have one guy that got us off to a really good start. The basket got big for everybody.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach

“I thought he was aggressive. I think when you play a big guy the way we're playing him, which we think that's the best way to play for the best for our team. But it may not be the best way to play for him individually sometimes. I think sometimes he can get a little lost and float, which you guys would agree with me on that. Tonight, I didn't see that at all. I thought he was aggressive the whole game.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach

“From an offensive standpoint, he can get to a spot. You're not going to block a shot. You just gotta contest it, and he's going to make one out of two when you do contest it. Limit his good touches and try to shrink the floor where he can't get his shoulders past you, which until late, we did a really good job of that.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach

What’s next

The Jayhawks will look to build on this win when they take on another tough opponent, No. 8 Gonzaga, on Monday night.

The takeaway

While Kansas showed flashes of brilliance in the first half, their inability to maintain that level of play for the full 40 minutes and the injuries to key players are areas of concern that the team will need to address moving forward. Staying healthy and finding more consistency will be crucial if the Jayhawks hope to make a deep postseason run.