BYU Riding AJ Dybantsa in Big 12 Tourney; First Up Is Kansas State

The Cougars and Wildcats will square off in the first round of the conference tournament.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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BYU, led by the nation's leading scorer AJ Dybantsa, will take on Kansas State and their top scorer PJ Haggerty in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. The Cougars are looking to make a March Madness run, while the Wildcats are in the midst of an overhaul after a coaching change midseason.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top scorers in the country going head-to-head, with BYU looking to build momentum for the NCAA Tournament and Kansas State trying to end a difficult season on a high note under an interim coach.

The details

BYU (21-10) is the 10th seed in the Big 12 tournament and is led by Dybantsa, who averages a nation-leading 24.7 points per game. The Cougars are coming off a statement win over then-No. 10 Texas Tech. Kansas State (12-19) is the 15th seed and is led by Haggerty, who is tied for third in the country with 23.3 points per game. The Wildcats have struggled, losing 10 of their last 12 games, and are in the midst of an overhaul after the midseason firing of coach Jerome Tang.

  • The first-round matchup between BYU and Kansas State will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • BYU and Kansas State previously met on January 3, 2026, with BYU winning 83-73.

The players

AJ Dybantsa

The nation's leading scorer at 24.7 points per game and a projected top NBA Draft pick, leading BYU's March Madness push.

PJ Haggerty

Kansas State's top scorer, tied for third in the country at 23.3 points per game, as the Wildcats try to end a difficult season on a high note.

Kevin Young

The head coach of BYU, who led the team to a statement win over Texas Tech and is looking to simplify things for a March Madness run.

Matthew Driscoll

The interim head coach of Kansas State, who is trying to guide the team through an overhaul after the midseason firing of Jerome Tang.

Richie Saunders

A BYU player who suffered a season-ending ACL injury, a significant setback for the Cougars.

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What they’re saying

“We had to do some soul-searching. I had to do a lot of thinking. What the conclusion of that was, we've got to simplify things and just dumb it down and not try to get cute on defense.”

— Kevin Young, BYU Head Coach (Field Level Media)

“These guys are playing for contracts. They're playing for contracts either next season in the NCAA, or they're playing for contracts professionally. Our staff is trying to get a job. There are so many different things that marketability is focused on. What you do is always going to be there, because the video doesn't lie.”

— Matthew Driscoll, Kansas State Interim Head Coach (Field Level Media)

What’s next

The winner of the BYU-Kansas State matchup will face No. 7 seed West Virginia on Wednesday in the next round of the Big 12 tournament.

The takeaway

This first-round Big 12 tournament matchup features two of the nation's top scorers in AJ Dybantsa of BYU and PJ Haggerty of Kansas State, with the Cougars looking to build momentum for a March Madness run and the Wildcats trying to end a difficult season on a high note under an interim coach.