The No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers (4-0) are set to face off against the No. 9 BYU Cougars (3-1) Friday at 3 p.m. in a huge early season test in Salt Lake City. BYU ended Wisconsin’s 2024-25 season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, making this top-25 matchup all the more anticipated.
Second year head coach Kevin Young led the Cougars to a 26-10 record last season, which ended in a 113-88 Sweet Sixteen loss to Alabama after knocking out Wisconsin in the previous round.
This season, his revamped BYU squad’s only loss came against No. 3 UConn, who the Cougars lost to 86-84.
Young has a star studded team, led by highly-touted freshman AJ Dybantsa, the top prospect in the upcoming NBA Draft class. The 6-foot-8 freshman averages 20.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and two assists per game this season. With a tall frame, he plays at his own pace and prioritizes the mid range shot, although he averages 40% from 3.
Dybantsa’s high-level ballhandling skills allow him to sail past defenders, and with his shifty athleticism, he can stop on a dime, play above the rim and intelligently feed teammates.
BYU’s next threat is 6-foot-5 senior guard Richie Saunders, who averages 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists on the year. Saunders has great basketball IQ and can take the ball to the hoop but thrives outside the arc. Saunders shot 47.4% from 3, through their three home games, but went 0-for-7 from 3 in their recent loss to UConn. Alongside Dybantsa, Saunders has the ability to take over the game at any point.
BYU’s primary ballhander is the 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Robert Wright III. After transferring from Baylor, Wright III has averaged a gaudy 17.8 points, four rebounds and four assists in his first season with BYU. Although he is incredibly shifty and talented on the ball, he lacks a high basketball IQ, appearing messy and out of place at times. He is the type of player that when he is playing well does wonders, but when performing poorly can be a boon.
BYU’s lineup also features junior forward Kennard Davis Jr., who averages 9 points per game, and senior guard Dawson Baker, who has averages 8 points per game.
While the Cougars come off a tough loss to UConn, the Badgers head into Salt Lake City fresh off an explosive 96-64 home win over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville .
Against SIUE, guard John Blackwell led the scoring for the Badgers with 24 points, as guard Nick Boyd added 22 points with three rebounds and five assists. Forward Austin Rapp showed continued improvement, scoring 15 points with eight rebounds. The freshman big Aleksas Bieliauskas also played well in his 14 minutes, producing eight points with four rebounds. Bieliauskas has proven himself to be a reliable backup for Nolan Winter, who had nine points and eight rebounds Monday.
Boyd, a transfer, has fit in wonderfully at Wisconsin, averaging 20 points per game to become an instant offensive threat. Against BYU, he will be primarily guarded by Wright. Boyd has the height and weight advantage over him, which he should look to exploit.
Meanwhile, Blackwell, a key player on last year’s team, is poised to get some revenge after last year’s March Madness heartbreak. Blackwell may draw Dybantsa on defense, and if that happens it will be a very tough matchup for both players. Blackwell averages 19.5 points with 5.3 rebounds. He is at the peak of his college basketball career, and this game will be one of his biggest tests of the season.
To beat the Cougars, players beyond just Blackwell and Boyd must rise to the occasion. Rapp, who has an itch to shoot the 3, must let the game come to him and continue to find open teammates after defenders swarm him.
Winter, meanwhile, needs to play like a true big man. With the Cougars having no true big man to guard him, Winter could be primed for his third double-double of the season.
Head coach Greg Gard’s bench needs to be ready as well. Bieliauskas, Will Garlock, Jack Janicki and Braeden Carrington have been Gard’s primary bench players so far, and to knock down a top-10 opponent, they will all need to step up. Janicki brings a certain energy to the court that gets the fans and the team ready to hustle. That needs to be on display. Garlock, while he is improving on all aspects of his game, still needs to unlock a confident scoring mentality. Carrington needs to continue to be a stabilizer.
The Badgers can snag a huge upset over BYU if Blackwell or Boyd churn out a breakout game, Winter and Rapp throw in double digit scoring nights and Gard’s bench plays to their potential.
