Another exciting and engaging Big 12 battle will have plenty of national attention on Saturday afternoon. It’s a great and important matchup between BYU and Kansas and the result will have indications that affect the rest of the season. However, a big part of that attention will be on star freshmen AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Darryn Peterson of Kansas, the projected top two picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.
The work has largely been great from BYU (17-3) this season although the cracks are starting to show a little bit. The Cougars’ three losses have all come to elite teams, but two have been in their last three games against Arizona and Texas Tech. Don’t jump to conclusions, because BYU was in all three of these games and there’s a world where they win a few or all of them, but they’ve also shown some slow starts and inability to get consistency from beyond their starting five.
After some relatively disappointing performances from Kansas (15-5), the Jayhawks have just about hit their stride in recent weeks. None of their three nonconference losses were backbreakers, but early Big 12 losses at UCF and West Virginia certainly weren’t ideal. Kansas hasn’t always had Peterson healthy and in the lineup and they’re a much better team with him around, playing a role during this 4-game winning streak, though he has missed time again recently.
BYU vs. Kansas: When and Where
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 4:30 pm ET
Location: Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
BYU vs. Kansas: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
BYU vs. Kansas: Betting Odds
Spread: Kansas Jayhawks -3.5, Brigham Young Cougars+3.5
Moneyline: Kansas Jayhawks-185, Brigham Young Cougars +175
Total: 158.5
BYU vs. Kansas: Series History
All-time series: Kansas leads 4-3
Last meeting: BYU 91, Kansas 57 (February 18, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
BYU Cougars
AJ Dybantsa (23.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Richie Saunders (18.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Robert Wright III (17.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.2 apg)
Keba Keita (6.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg)
Kennard Davis Jr. (7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Kansas Jayhawks
Darryn Peterson (21.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Tre White (14.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
Flory Bidunga (14.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg)
Melvin Council Jr. (13.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Bryson Tiller (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
Heading to Lawrence is no easy task but this BYU team is hungry to make waves on a national scale. This matchup doesn’t just come down to Dybantsa against Peterson (if he’s a full-go), but those two each have a monumental shot to prove themselves. The Cougars have really struggled with outside shooting at times this season and need their offense firing on all cylinders to win at Allen Fieldhouse. It’ll be interesting to see how a Kansas defense that’s played better in recent weeks can stop the Big 3 of the Cougars, as Saunders and Wright are important names to watch just as well. Expect that both teams will be highly motivated.
Can BYU shake off those recent shortcomings and find a way to win at one of the nation’s toughest arenas for a visitor? Do we see Kansas continuing their winning ways with another emphatic performance against a ranked foe?