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BYU's Early NCAA Exit Ends Roller-Coaster Season
Despite high expectations and a star player, injuries derailed the Cougars' tournament run.
Mar. 23, 2026 at 12:54am
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BYU's 2025-26 season was a wild ride, from beating top-10 teams early on to suffering a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Texas. The Cougars were led by star freshman AJ Dybantsa, who had a standout season, but were plagued by injuries that sidelined key players like Richie Saunders. While some fans were disappointed by the early exit, the author argues that high expectations are still better than none at all, and that this season will be remembered for Dybantsa's arrival and the program's continued rise.
Why it matters
BYU's season captured national attention with the arrival of top recruit AJ Dybantsa, but injuries to key players like Richie Saunders ultimately derailed their NCAA Tournament hopes. The early exit has sparked strong reactions from fans, raising questions about managing expectations and the impact of injuries on a team's success.
The details
BYU had several highlight wins early in the season, including victories over Villanova, UConn, and Clemson. However, the Cougars were hit hard by injuries, losing five players for the season, including Saunders, their All-Big 12 performer. Despite Dybantsa's dominant individual performance, the undermanned Cougars were unable to overcome the size and shooting of Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling 79-71.
- BYU beat Villanova as a top-10 team on opening night in Las Vegas on TNT.
- BYU dropped a two-point shootout to No. 2 UConn in Boston on Fox.
- BYU took down Miami on Thanksgiving on ESPN.
- BYU stunned Clemson at the buzzer at Madison Square Garden on ESPN.
- BYU lost to Texas 79-71 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on TBS.
The players
AJ Dybantsa
A freshman from Brockton, Massachusetts, who led the country in scoring, earned consensus first team All-America honors, and is a finalist for National Player of the Year and the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
Richie Saunders
An All-Big 12 performer who suffered a season-ending ACL injury on February 14, one of five Cougars lost for the season due to injury.
What they’re saying
“Watching Dybantsa was as inspiring as losing Richie Saunders to an ACL injury on Feb. 14 was heartbreaking.”
— Dave McCann, Sportswriter and columnist
“Injuries change rosters much faster than fans change their expectations. So long as Dybantsa and Rob Wright III were on the floor, the demand for success remained.”
— Dave McCann, Sportswriter and columnist
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This season will be remembered for the arrival of star freshman AJ Dybantsa and the program's continued rise, despite the disappointment of the early NCAA Tournament exit. High expectations are still better than none at all, and BYU fans can look forward to another talented roster next season.
