WVU Falls to BYU in Big 12 Tournament

Mountaineers commit 22 turnovers in 68-48 loss to Cougars

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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The West Virginia Mountaineers (18-14) were defeated by the BYU Cougars (23-10) 68-48 in the second round of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. BYU freshman guard AJ Dybansta led all scorers with 27 points, while WVU senior Honor Huff paced the Mountaineers with 17 points. The Mountaineers struggled with turnovers, committing 22 on the night, and shot just 38.1% from the field.

Why it matters

The loss ends West Virginia's season and marks a disappointing end to head coach Ross Hodge's first year at the helm of the Mountaineers program. BYU, meanwhile, advances to the next round of the Big 12 tournament as they continue their quest for an NCAA Tournament bid.

The details

BYU separated themselves in the second half, shooting 50% from the field and 50% from three-point range. The Cougars' junior guard Kennard Davis Jr. scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half. For West Virginia, the team's 22 turnovers proved to be their undoing, as they were unable to overcome BYU's defensive pressure.

  • The game was played on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.

The players

AJ Dybansta

BYU freshman guard and potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Honor Huff

West Virginia senior guard who led the Mountaineers with 17 points.

Kennard Davis Jr.

BYU junior guard who scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half.

Ross Hodge

West Virginia head coach in his first year with the program.

Kevin Young

BYU head coach.

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What they’re saying

“I want to start out by giving (head) coach Kevin Young and his team a lot of credit. Um thought they were the more physical team today.”

— Ross Hodge, West Virginia Head Coach (si.com)

“Obviously, turned the ball over entirely too much. Felt pretty fortunate to just be down eight at the half considering we had 14 turnovers and felt like our defense held up pretty good for the most part when we weren't throwing them the ball and just didn't play well enough to beat a quality opponent this time of the year.”

— Ross Hodge, West Virginia Head Coach (si.com)

“I thought the biggest thing was just their physicality and the intensity at which they played with - they made it hard for us to move the ball. They played some different lineup combinations and ended up playing a little more athletic and a little more physical.”

— Ross Hodge, West Virginia Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The loss ends West Virginia's season, while BYU will advance to the next round of the Big 12 tournament as they continue their pursuit of an NCAA Tournament bid.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the importance of ball security and physicality in tournament basketball. West Virginia's inability to take care of the basketball and match BYU's intensity ultimately led to their downfall, serving as a learning experience for the Mountaineers heading into the offseason.