No. 16 BYU faces Baylor in uncharted -- and unwanted -- waters

Cougars look to end 4-game losing streak against struggling Bears

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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No. 22 BYU finds itself on a four-game losing streak heading into its matchup against Baylor on Tuesday night. The Cougars have struggled against tough opponents, with four of their five losses coming against ranked teams. Despite the skid, BYU has a standout freshman in AJ Dybantsa, who leads the nation in scoring at 24.0 points per game. Baylor, meanwhile, is looking to get back on track after a disappointing season so far, having won two straight before a close loss to No. 7 Iowa State.

Why it matters

This game is crucial for both teams as they look to turn their seasons around. BYU is trying to end its longest losing streak since joining the Big 12 in 2023-24, while Baylor is hoping to build on its recent momentum and pick up a key conference win.

The details

BYU suffered a 77-66 home loss to then-No. 8 Houston on Saturday, scoring a season-low in points. Freshman AJ Dybantsa continued his impressive play, scoring 28 points, but the Cougars couldn't overcome the Cougars. Baylor, meanwhile, is coming off a 72-69 loss to No. 7 Iowa State, but has won two straight games prior to that defeat.

  • BYU and Baylor will face off on Tuesday night in Waco, Texas.
  • BYU has lost four straight games, its longest skid since joining the Big 12 in 2023-24.
  • Baylor has won two straight games before its close loss to Iowa State on Saturday.

The players

AJ Dybantsa

A standout freshman for BYU who leads the nation in scoring at 24.0 points per game.

Richie Saunders

A key scoring threat for BYU, averaging 19.0 points per game.

Robert Wright III

A transfer from Baylor who is averaging 17.3 points per game for BYU.

Cameron Carr

Baylor's leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points per game.

Tounde Yessoufou

Baylor's other top scoring threat, averaging 17.7 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“We're upset that we didn't win the game. Another great opportunity that we let go, which unfortunately for us has been too many against the highest-caliber teams in the country.”

— Kevin Young, BYU Head Coach (statenews.net)

“He's going to be doing that with Kenny (Smith) and Charles (Barkley) and (Shaquille O'Neal) commenting on him pretty soon.”

— Kelvin Sampson, Houston Head Coach (statenews.net)

“From a coaching standpoint, I wish we would've gotten our team to this point about a month ago. Unfortunately, it's not until now. Really proud of how far they've come. We are a different team than we were at the beginning of conference (play) and I'm proud of that.”

— Scott Drew, Baylor Head Coach (statenews.net)

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 game will be a crucial test for both BYU and Baylor as they look to turn their seasons around. BYU is trying to end its longest losing streak since joining the Big 12, while Baylor is hoping to build on its recent momentum and pick up a key conference win. The matchup between standout freshman AJ Dybantsa and Baylor's top scorers will be one to watch.