Bryce James will officially redshirt his freshman season at Arizona, Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd announced on Tuesday. This is a move that benefits both the program’s depth and a long-term view of the 6-foot-5 wing’s development.
James has not made a single appearance for Wildcats this season and Lloyd confirmed the decision to preserve his eligibility rather than use limited minutes that would cost a full year. Under NCAA rules, appearing in even one game would trigger a season of eligibility, making a redshirt the more prudent option for a freshman still acclimating to the college level.
As the younger son of NBA all-time great LeBron James and the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, Bryce James arrived in Tucson with immediate name recognition and elevated expectations.
Bryce James has chosen to redshirt his freshman season with Arizona, HC Tommy Lloyd announced
However, Arizona has had little incentive to rush him into the rotation. The Wildcats have been dominant, rolling through the first half of the season with one of the deepest and most efficient lineups in the country.
Arizona improved to 22-0 on Saturday with an 87-74 win over Arizona State, leaning on an established core and standout freshmen who have seized early roles. Guard Brayden Burries has emerged as a backcourt centerpiece, while Koa Peat has made an immediate impact, earning conference and national accolades.
With Lloyd comfortably using a tight rotation on a national title contender, minutes have been scarce for developmental players.
James’ redshirt season allows him to train, add strength, and adjust to the pace and physicality of the college game without game-day pressure. It also provides time to settle into academics and team culture while preparing for a more meaningful role in future seasons.
When Rutgers committed long-term to Steve Pikiell, it did so after he accomplished something the program had not seen in three decades. Back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances restored credibility and changed expectations. That success led to stability. Now, as results have slipped, the contract itself has become the defining factor in any conversation about the program’s future.
Pikiell’s current deal was signed in February 2023 and runs through the 2030-31 season. Beginning in 2025-26, his base salary increases annually, starting at $3.75 million and rising to $4.25 million in the final year. The contract also includes two retention bonuses of $300,000 each, scheduled for July 2027 and July 2029, reinforcing Rutgers’ financial commitment well beyond the short term.
Steve Pikiell buyout terms
The buyout structure explains why a change would be difficult. As reported by NJ.com, Pikiell were to leave on his own, the amount he would owe Rutgers decreases gradually over time, beginning at $5.5 million between April 2025 and March 2026 and shrinking to $500,000 in the final year of the deal. If Rutgers initiates a separation, the obligation is far more significant.
Terminating the contract following the 2025-26 season would require the school to cover roughly $20.25 million in remaining guaranteed compensation, subject to offset if he secures other employment. When contractual commitments tied to associate head coach Brandin Knight are included, the total climbs even higher.
That financial reality looms larger because on-court performance has declined. After peaking from the 2019-20 through 2021-22 seasons, Rutgers has posted consecutive losing records. The most damaging came last year, when the Scarlet Knights finished 15-17 despite having Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey on the same roster. Both players became top-five NBA Draft selections. Teams with that level of talent are rarely outside the postseason picture, and the gap between expectations and results has shifted the tone around the program.
Still, dissatisfaction alone does not dictate Rutgers’ options. The broader financial picture plays a major role. Since joining the Big Ten, Rutgers has accumulated more than $500 million in athletic department losses, operating under constraints that differ sharply from many conference peers. Absorbing a buyout exceeding $20 million would not be a routine basketball decision. It would require significant institutional backing and long-term financial planning.
That context is why this is not a traditional hot-seat situation. Even if struggles continue, the structure of the contract limits immediate action. In practical terms, Rutgers is incentivized to pursue improvement rather than reset, because continuity remains the less expensive path.
Pikiell’s legacy is secure for pulling Rutgers out of decades-long irrelevance. Whether the program can rediscover upward momentum before the financial math changes is the unanswered question. For now, the numbers, not public pressure, continue to define what comes next for Rutgers basketball.
Alabama is out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in more than two years.
The Crimson Tide dropped out of Monday’s men’s college basketball poll after a rough week that snapped a run of 42 consecutive rankings, the fifth-longest active streak entering the season. Alabama had been ranked every week since January 2024 and opened the week at No. 23 before losing two of its last three games, including a 100-77 rout at the hands of No. 19 Florida.
Nate Oats and the Tide fell out as Tennessee climbed back into the poll at No. 25, ending Alabama’s streak.
At the top, Arizona Wildcats remained the unanimous No. 1 for the eighth straight week after a school record 22-0 start. The Wildcats earned all 59 first-place votes from the national media panel. Tommy Lloyd’s team visits Oklahoma State next and would set a school record with a 23rd straight win.
Michigan jumped to No. 2 after wins over previously unbeaten Nebraska and rival Michigan State, followed by UConn, Duke and Illinois to round out the top five.
Gonzaga stayed sixth while Iowa State and Houston each climbed a spot. Nebraska slid to No. 9 and Michigan State to No. 10, leaving Arizona and Miami (Ohio) as the nation’s only unbeaten Division I teams.
The SEC finished the week with four ranked teams, down one after Alabama’s exit.
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball coach Brad Underwood saw his team overcome road adversity once again, as it snagged a critical road win Sunday afternoon to extend its winning streak to 11 by overcoming a talented No.5-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers team, 78-69.
It wasn't just any win. It's a microcosm of a season marked by raw, elite talent finally gelling together as the season's critical stretch run really gets going. Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln was no different, as for the second consecutive weekend, the No.9-ranked Illini took down an AP Top 5 road opponent after doing the same against the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette last Saturday.
It's the first time the Illini have done so in program history, but it came with a bit of extra motivation that has since begun to circulate in the hours after the revenge win.
More specifically, the team's whiteboard. There weren't X's and O's, nor was there a diagram explaining the ways Illinois can continue to remain atop a crowded Big Ten title race with a little over a month left in the season.
Whether it was a jab at the arena's name or otherwise, it certainly seemed to fire up Illinois as it now holds a win against every conference opponent it's played so far.
Underwood said his players were relaxed and composed in the second half after overcoming a 39-33 halftime deficit. The Illini outscored the Cornhuskers 45-30 in the final 20 minutes, as freshman guard Keaton Wagler finished with 28 points.
“Chemistry and connectivity," Underwood told reporters. "Just the communication… We’ve made huge strides there and we’re competing on every play,” Underwood said.
The Illini are going to attempt to keep their winning streak alive Wednesday night from State Farm Center in Champaign, hosting the Northwestern Wildcats. Unlike Illinois, Northwestern has struggled to stay above .500 for much of the season and is trying to bounce back after dropping a 76-62 game to the Washington Huskies Saturday night.
Tip is set for 8 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network as the Illini try to sweep the season series.
In the aftermath of a 95–61 blowout loss to No. 8 Iowa State, that was the sentence Jerome Tang chose to stand on as Kansas State slipped to two games under .500 as February is underway. No hedging. No qualifiers. Just a clear rejection of the framing.
The scoreboard left little room for interpretation. Iowa State was faster, stronger, and sharper. Tang didn’t argue that. “They’re just better than we are right now,” he said, repeatedly crediting the Cyclones. What he refused to do was let the moment fracture his locker room.
“This is not a message for the fans,” Tang said. “This is a message for my players.”
That posture carried through the entire press conference. When asked about disappointment, he pushed back. When pressed to expand, he declined. “No, I don’t want to expand on it.” When the conversation drifted toward broader program questions, he deferred. “At the end of the season we’ll talk about that.”
Still, Tang didn’t hide from accountability. With program legends in attendance, he turned the disappointment inward. “I’m more disappointed in me as a as a coach and the game plan for the first half than I am for the players for their execution,” he said.
The message remained consistent. Protect the players. Own the rest.
Asked whether the group remains bought in, Tang was brief but firm. “They’re still trying. Yes. Yes, they are.”
There was definitely an edge in the room, but it wasn’t reckless. It was protective. Tang wasn’t denying results or pretending the season has gone to plan. He was drawing a boundary around how his team would be discussed publicly.This is the kind of press conference that gets remembered quietly.
Defiance doesn’t guarantee anything. But at 10–12 this late in the season, it draws a clear picture. Tang isn’t hedging. He’s standing with his guys and betting that belief still matters.
The college basketball world is torn on Alabama's fight to keep Charles Bediako on the court. Legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale was the latest to weigh in on the burning topic. He opened up Sunday on the ongoing eligibility controversy surrounding Bediako, offering his take during an ABC broadcast of SEC action between No. 19 Florida and No. 23 Alabama.
Vitale was calling the game alongside ESPN colleagues Jimmy Dykes and Karl Ravech, and addressed the tension between NCAA rules and the court system after Bediako was allowed to play while his legal challenge remains unresolved.
“The bottom line is, you have a rule book, and the rule book says, according to the rules of the NCAA, he is ineligible,” Vitale said during the first half via On3 . “However, the court system said, ‘No, he can play.’ And you can’t blame a coach when a judge says you can play a 7-footer.”
Bediako is playing under a temporary restraining order granted Jan. 20, with an injunction hearing scheduled for February 6 in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court.
The NCAA previously ruled the 23-year-old ineligible after he entered the 2023 NBA Draft and signed multiple contracts while playing in the G League. After going undrafted, Bediako signed deals with the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets
Vitale noted the NCAA did not have the opportunity to present its full legal case before the initial ruling. That's been the same argument by several analysts. Also, former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl took it a step further and said Alabama should be banned from the postseason.
Entering Sunday, Bediako is averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games since returning to Alabama.
The chants were the kind that you'd never think would be heard in Olean, New York.
"Fire Mark Schmidt" were the cries of some St. Bonaventure basketball fans recently, directed at the Bonnies' head coach since 2007.
And, well, it's quite shocking.
The Bonnies fell to 13-9 on the season with a loss in their most recent game, but it was a four-point defeat to a George Mason team that's 20-2, so not exactly a brutal loss.
Has St. Bonaventure been quite up to par of some of the Schmidt era in the past few years? Not really.
But a chant to fire the guy? Man, that seems misguided.
Former Bonnies player Dion Wright had this to say on X:
It’s either you die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain . . . Chanting “fire schmidt” is absolutely disgusting. A lot of people didn’t even know anything about St. Bonaventure until he got there. At the end of the day it’s a players game.
The four seasons before Schmidt was hired at Bonaventure all featured single-digit wins.
It took him just one year of rebuilding before he got to 15 wins in his second season.
They haven't won fewer than 14 games in a season in his entire tenure.
That includes three NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Round of 32.
Schmidt is Bonaventure's all-time wins leader, now with 337 wins and counting.
And this isn't like other jobs. Bonaventure, with an enrollment of less than 3,000 students, is one of the few smallest Division I basketball programs in the country.
In the NIL era and transfer-heavy era, it's hard to get recruits to come to Olean.
And so somehow, that all led to the chants by Bonnies fans. Apparently some people feel that way.
There are plenty of St. Bonaventure faithful who would never dream such a fate on Schmidt.
Jerome Tang’s contract at Kansas State reflects a growing complexity with the Wildcats’ men’s basketball program.
Tang is in the third year of a seven-year contract extension signed in September 2023 that runs through April 30, 2030. The deal, which followed one of the most successful debut seasons in school history, includes escalating base salaries, annual retention bonuses and one of the largest buyout figures in college basketball.
For the 2025-26 season, Tang’s base salary is approximately $3.6 million. Under the contract’s structure, that figure increases by roughly $100,000 each year, reaching $4 million in 2029-30 and $4.1 million in 2030-31. In addition, Tang is eligible for $200,000 retention bonuses at the conclusion of the 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
The extension was awarded after Tang’s first season in Manhattan, when Kansas State went 26-10 and finished 11-7 in the Big 12, tying for third in what was widely considered the nation’s toughest conference.
The Wildcats reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2017-18, posting the third-most wins in school history. Tang earned the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year award and was the consensus Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Jerome Tang buyout terms
If Kansas State were to part ways with Tang before April 30, 2026, the buyout would total $18.675 million, according to contract terms via the Topeka Capital-Journal. That figure drops to $15.75 million after the 2026-27 season and gradually declines to $4.4 million between May 2030 and April 2031, or the remaining unpaid salary.
Before April 30, 2026 — $18.675 million
After 2026-27 season — $15.75 million
After 2027-28 season — $12.75 million
After 2028-29 season — $9.675 million
After 2029-30 season — $6.525 million
Between May 2030 and April 2031 — $4.4 million or remaining unpaid salary
According to USA TODAY, it ranks as the 12th-largest buyout in college basketball, placing Kansas State in a potentially historic financial decision as frustration around the program continues to grow for the Kansas State Wildcats.
Jerome Tang bonuses
Tang's first season unlocked multiple bonuses. Tang received a $340,000 milestone bonus for completing his first year and became eligible for performance incentives that can exceed $1 million annually, including $200,000 for an Elite Eight appearance, $400,000 for a Final Four and $600,000 for a national championship.
Since his first season, results have declined for Tang and the Wildcats. K-State won 19 games in 2023-24 and 16 in 2024-25, with projections placing the Wildcats near the bottom of the conference in 2025-26 despite significant Name, Image and Likeness investments. Tang previously served as associate head coach at Baylor Bears before being hired in March 2022.
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia (FOX 44) — It’s been a rough stretch for Baylor men’s basketball. After a 1–7 start in Big 12 play — their worst conference start since 2007 — the Bears finally flipped the script Saturday, snapping West Virginia’s 16-game home winning streak with a 63-53 victory at Hope Coliseum. The win improves Baylor’s Big 12 record to 2–7 and marks the program’s ninth victory in Morgantown under Scott Drew, the most by any Big 12 team at WVU.
Baylor returns to Waco with some momentum, ready to face Colorado at Foster Pavilion on Wednesday.
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Tuskegee men’s basketball coach Benjy Taylor was arrested and escorted off the court following a Division II HBCU game against Morehouse on Saturday in Atlanta.
Taylor was briefly detained after Tuskegee’s 77-69 loss, but it's still unclear why the incident happened in the first place. During the postgame handshake line, the Golden Tigers coach can be seen in a video posted by Field of 68's Jeff Goodman. He was talking to a police officer on the court before being handcuffed.
According to HBCU GameDay, Taylor was attempting to ensure conference mandated security protocols were followed after members of the Morehouse football team was there with basketball players, which is a violation of conference policy.
Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin said Taylor asked security to remove the football players to comply with those rules.
Tuskegee head coach Benjy Taylor was handcuffed by police after the loss at Morehouse.
“I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today. For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that… pic.twitter.com/2AQRNCu1Dd
“We have security measures for our protection of our officials, our student-athlete coaches and spectators,” Ruffin told HBCU GameDay. He said the procedures are “mandated by the conference office” and are standard across member institutions. However, it led to officers handcuffing Taylor.
“I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today,” Taylor said in a statement to Goodman. “For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking. I was simply trying to get the football team out of the handshake line.”
Taylor was released shortly after and traveled home with the team. He's currently in his sixth season with the Golden Tigers.
In a historic afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse that marked the building’s 1,000th game, all eyes were on the projected top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa. Peterson showed why he is the projected top pick, but lingering issues came up again — causing Peterson to miss most of the second half — as No. 14 Kansas fended off a furious second-half rally to defeat No. 13 BYU, 90–82.
The contest began as a masterclass from the projected No. 1 pick Peterson, who silenced any lingering injury concerns by torching the Cougars for 18 points in the first half alone. Peterson was virtually untouchable early on, hitting a barrage of contested jumpers and transition dunks that helped the Jayhawks build a massive 20-point lead, leaving BYU searching for answers in the most hostile environment in the Big 12.
However, the narrative shifted dramatically in the second half as Kansas head coach Bill Self was forced to limit Peterson’s minutes to manage his recovery. With the Jayhawks' primary engine on the bench for the final 16 minutes, the door swung open for BYU to mount a comeback. Led by a relentless performance from Richie Saunders, who finished with a career-high 33 points, the Cougars chipped away at the deficit with a barrage of threes and a high-octane transition game. Saunders was electric, seemingly everywhere on the court as he willed BYU back within single digits, turning what looked like a blowout into a tense, possession-by-possession battle.
While the second-half comeback made it a game, it was a frustrating afternoon for AJ Dybantsa. The top-ranked freshman struggled to find his footing against the length of the Kansas defense, often forced into difficult shots while Peterson dominated the first-half spotlight. Dybantsa finished with just 17 points on inefficient shooting, and though he showed flashes of his generational athleticism in the closing minutes, he was never able to take over the game in the way NBA scouts expected during this high-stakes audition.
Ultimately, Kansas’s veteran composure proved to be the difference. Despite Saunders' heroics and the Cougars' late-game surge, the Jayhawks used timely buckets from Flory Bidunga, Melvin Council and Tre White to protect the lead until the final horn. The win serves as a major statement for Peterson in the No. 1 pick conversation, but also a reminder of BYU's depth and resilience as they remain a dangerous threat in the conference race.
Check out all the highlights below as Peterson and Kansas came up victorious over Dybantsa and BYU.
Kansas vs. BYU updates, highlights from 2026 college basketball game
Peterson, Kansas defeat BYU
6:40 p.m.: In a play that sums up today's game, Dybantsa misses a three and Tre White dunks it to solidify a 90-82 Kansas win.
Even with Darryn Peterson barely playing and going scoreless in the second half, the Jayhawks did enough to win, similar to what it's been for most of the year. On the other side, Dybantsa struggled early on but finished with 17 points.
With Peterson, Kansas is a true contender, and if the second half shows anything, it might be without him.
6:35 p.m.: With 1:11 left, it's a four point game in Lawrence. Peterson is still on the bench and hasn't been in the game since early in the second half.
But, in his absence, players like Council have stepped up. He hits a tough shot here, and Kansas leads by six with 52 seconds remaining.
6:31 p.m.: It's a six point game, with Dybantsa driving into Bidunga and laying it up with his left hand. While it's been an inconsistent day, Dybantsa is up to 17.
6:30 p.m.: With 2:18 p.m., momentum is building for the Cougars.
It's an eight point game down the stretch.
Saunders having career game BYU deficit down to single digits
6:23 p.m.: It's become the Richie Saunders show in Lawrence.
Now, he hits his sixth three of the game and is up to a career-high 33 points. BYU is now down nine with 4:18 remaining.
6:21 p.m.: With BYU down only 12, Dybantsa has re-entered the game.
A foul on Melvin Council brings Saunders to the line, but he misses the front end of the free throw. It's 80-68 with five minutes remaining.
6:19 p.m.: Saunders is up to 30, stealing the show from the two top draft picks.
Peterson has not seen much time in the second half with Kansas leading by a significant margin.
6:14 p.m.: Both teams have gone cold from the field with 6:26 remaining. Kansas leads 78-63, with both Peterson and Dybantsa on the bench.
6:12 p.m.: The one reason BYU is in this game is because of Saunders. He is up to 27 on the day after draining another three, cutting the Kansas lead to 15.
6:11 p.m.: Every time BYU throws a punch, Kansas responds right back.
Now, it's Flory Bidunga with an and-one and the Jayhawks lead by 18. Peterson is still on the bench, with two personal fouls.
6:02 p.m.: The next possession, Dybantsa hits a mid-range shot. BYU trails by 16.
Then, after a Bryson Tiller miss, Dybantsa uses a turnaround and gets fouled by Tiller. He'll be heading to the line after the under-12.
6:00 p.m.: Dybantsa is back in the game, immediately drawing a foul.
With "overrated" chants coming from the Kansas crowd, he knocks down both free throws. He's up to 12 points on the day.
5:55 p.m.: With 13:23 remaining, Kansas leads 64-46.
Both Peterson and Dybantsa are out of the game as it stands.
5:49 p.m.: The Cougars are clawing back and Saunders is at the center of it.
No. 15 hits a three in the corner, and moreover, gets fouled. Coming out of the break, he will go to the line with a chance at a four-point play.
BYU trails 60-45, with a chance to cut the deficit down to 14.
5:48 p.m.: Dybantsa has his first points of the second half.
He takes a pass from right at the top of the key and hits a catch-and-shoot three. BYU still trails by 16.
5:41 p.m.: The second half is underway in Allen Fieldhouse.
With the Cougars trailing by 20, Dybantsa needs to make an impact on the game early.
Peterson, Kansas lead by 20 at halftime
5:23 p.m.: At halftime in Lawrence, Kansas is dominating BYU, 53-33.
Peterson, the projected No. 1 pick, has looked unstoppable with the ball in his hands. He has 18 points in 17 minutes. On the other side, Dybantsa and the Cougars are struggling. He is up to seven points on the day.
Earlier in the week, the Cougars erased a double-digit deficit against No. 1 Arizona. They are going to have to pull some similar magic again in one of the most hostile environments in the sport.
5:20 p.m.: Dybantsa has his second basket of the game, but it is quickly outdone by Peterson.
The next possession, the superstar dunks over a BYU defender as the arena erupts. He looks healthy and as dangerous as ever.
The Jayhawks are 8-for-10 from deep as the lead stretches to 21. Kevin Young calls another timeout with 3:22 left in the first half.
5:12 p.m.: Peterson has his third three of the game, stretching the Kansas lead to 18. Robert Wright hits a triple of his own right after.
5:05 p.m.: At the under-eight timeout, Kansas is dominating.
After Peterson's third steal, Tre White is wide open for a three. Dybantsa has his first points right after on a triple of his own, but at the commercial the Jayhawks lead by 16.
5:02 p.m.: Peterson finally misses a shot as Kansas now leads by 15.
Dybantsa is the only starter in the game not to score yet.
4:59 p.m.: Peterson is in double digits after his second three of the game.
No. 22 is perfect from the field, 4-for-4 and 2-for-2 from three.
Peterson surging, Dybantsa struggling early on
4:57 p.m.: Dybantsa is struggling early, with Kansas' defense making a huge difference.
Now, No. 3 travels and it's a turnover. Kevin Young calls another timeout with his team reeling.
4:55 p.m.: Dybantsa's first two shots are both misses as Kansas takes a double-digit lead.
Halfway through the first, it's been all Jayhawks.
4:49 p.m.: With just over 12 minutes left in the first half, Peterson and Dybantsa are back on the floor with Kansas leading 22-14.
4:47 p.m.: Dybantsa is out of the game early on.
Whenever No. 3 has gotten the ball, he's been swarmed immediately. The second-leading scorer in college basketball still does not have a shot in the game.
The next possession, Peterson heads to the bench, with nine of Kansas' 17 points.
4:44 p.m.: The early portion of this game has belonged to Peterson.
Here, he tips a pass intended for Dybantsa for his second steal of the game, then hits a shot over Dybantsa. Peterson is up to nine points already.
Peterson, Kansas lead early
4:38 p.m.: Peterson is hot early on. After a Saunders miss, he takes a pass and immediately a three and is up to seven points in four minutes.
We have our first break of the game, with Kansas leading 12-7.
On the other side, Dybantsa is yet to attempt a field goal.
4:37 p.m.: Now, Peterson has his first basket. He takes the ball on the left side of the court, does a dribble-drive and switches to his left hand for the lay.
4:35 p.m.: With the Kansas fans roaring, Peterson tips a ball and is off to the races for a layup. But, he gets fouled by Kennard Davis Jr.
No. 22 hits two free throws and he has his first points of the game.
4:34 p.m.: The first points of the game come from a BYU superstar not named Dybantsa.
Richie Saunders, who shoots nearly 40% from deep, hits the first three of the game. Kansas responds immediately and it's 3-2.
Then, the next possession, Tre White hits his own triple, and Kansas has its first lead.
4:32 p.m.: The 1,000th game at one of the most historic venues in college basketball is underway.
The Jayhawks win the tipoff and have the first possession.
4:30 p.m.: Allen Fieldhouse is loud and ready. A.J. Dybantsa. Darryn Peterson. It doesn't get better than this.
Both teams enter the day with identical 5-2 conference records, making this a pivotal "separation game" in the hunt to chase down Arizona for the Big 12 crown.
With Kansas riding a four-game win streak and BYU looking to prove they can win in the most hostile environment in sports, the winner takes a massive leap toward a protected seed in March.
4:24 p.m.: BYU and Kansas have taken the court. We are minutes away from the blockbuster showdown.
Will it be the No. 13 Cougars or No. 14 Jayhawks with a massive Big 12 win?
4:02 p.m.: We have two potential No. 1 picks going at it in Lawrence. Here's what ESPN's Pete Thamel said on "College GameDay" about Dybantsa and Peterson.
1:29 p.m.: The last time these two stars played in high school, they staged an instant classic that many talent evaluators consider one of the greatest individual duels in prep history.
Competing at the Grind Session in Atlanta, Peterson exploded for a school-record 58 points and drilled a game-winning three-pointer with just one second remaining to secure an 88–86 victory for Prolific Prep.
Darryn Peterson vs. Utah Prep [02/08/2025]:
Peterson dropped 58 PTS, 7 REB & 5 AST in a blockbuster win vs. Utah Prep, scoring 47 (!) of those points while being guarded by Dybantsa.
Not to be outdone, AJ Dybantsa countered with a staggering 49-point performance of his own, marking the second time in a year that Peterson managed to outduel Dybantsa in a head-to-head matchup.
1:28 p.m.: Peterson has been equally dominant but slightly more limited, averaging 21.6 points and 4.6 rebounds across just 10 games due to persistent hamstring and ankle injuries.
Despite the missed time, he has remained incredibly efficient, shooting 42% from three-point range and drawing comparisons to elite NBA scorers for his polished perimeter game
1:27 p.m.: Dybantsa enters today’s matchup as the nation's second-leading scorer, averaging 23.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while leading BYU to a 17–3 start.
AJ DYBANTSA SETS BYU FRESHMAN RECORD WITH 43 PTS 🤯
His season reached a historic peak last weekend when he erupted for 43 points against Utah, breaking Danny Ainge’s long-standing BYU freshman single-game scoring record and solidifying his status as a frontrunner for the No. 1 overall pick.
1:09 p.m.: The college basketball world turns its attention to Allen Fieldhouse today as No. 14 Kansas hosts No. 13 BYU in a high-stakes clash headlined by the first collegiate meeting between freshman stars Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa.
Widely projected as the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, the duo arrives in Lawrence after a legendary high school rivalry that saw Peterson score 61 points and Dybantsa 49 in their final prep encounter.
With ESPN’s "College GameDa"y on-site and dozens of NBA scouts in attendance, this matchup serves as a critical showcase for two "generational talents" vying for the number one overall selection.
This section will be updated closer to tipoff on Jan. 31, 2026.
Where to watch Kansas vs. BYU basketball
Kansas vs. BYU start time
Date: Saturday, Jan. 31
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
The ranked matchup between No. 13 BYU and No. 24 Kansas will tip off at 4:30 ET on Saturday, Jan. 31.
The teams meet at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Cougars and Jayhawks can be found nationally on ESPN on Saturday afternoon. ESPN's "College Gameday" will be on site, with Rece Davis joined by Jay Williams, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg, and Andraya Carter. For the game, Dan Shulman will be on play-by-play with Jay Bilas on color.
Fans looking to stream the game can on the ESPN App.
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