BYU basketball has a little momentum behind their tournament run, following a road win against another bubble-bound Big 12 neighbor in West Virginia. Taking down the Mountaineers was a "prove it" moment for a BYU team desperate for some tangible evidence--some proof--that the Cougars are not only capable of sticking around tournament teams but taking them down as well.
Basketball is a momentum game, and Kevin Young's BYU ship finally has some wind in its sails.
But if you want to know about momentum, look no further than the Kansas State Wildcats. If BYU is cruising down the interstate at a cool 70 miles per hour, Jerome Tang's roster just whipped past them at a speed of 100, in an all-or-nothing gamble with fate and a path that will end when they die. K-State may just be the story of the season if they can maintain their current trajectory all the way into a tournament berth.
Matching BYU's in-conference record, the Wildcats sit at 7-6 in the Big 12. Paired with their current 13-11 overall record, you may be confused when I suggest they're on some outrageous hot streak. Allow me to clarify your perplexion--K-State is heating up and may never cool back down.
After opening the year with a very disappointing 7-11 record, Kansas State looked like a dead fish on the beach: dead. Losses to Witchita State, Liberty, LSU, and Drake paved the path to drop 6 of their first 7 conference games.
They have not lost since. That includes 6 straight victories over West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas, and Arizona. These are no minor victories, especially for a team that seemed aimless and hopeless just 3 weeks ago. Not so hopeless anymore.
With a transfer-boosted roster that included some of the best talent from last year in Illinois' Coleman Hawkins, this team saw a ton of turnover, but boasted high expectations for the 2024-25 year.
A talented squad that is now finally figuring it out, K-State will enter the Marriott Center with their sights set on lifting even higher through the conference standings.
BYU vs Kansas State Game Preview and Prediction
BYU needs to protect its home court after dropping the ball against an Arizona team Kansas State just halted. Richie Saunders has cooled off after a tremendous start to the season, and in exchange, Egor Demin's assist-merchandising has been exchanged for score-first tendencies.
Behind talented freshmen and well-seasoned veterans in the nation's oldest players, BYU basketball is desperate for a statement-making win before entering a gauntlet of Kansas, Arizona, Iowa State, and a home rematch with West Virginia. The journey to March is one met with endless torment, so a win against Kansas State is a desperate necessity.
Here's the deal: Kansas State has everything to gain from a win over BYU this Saturday, but BYU has everything to lose. Falling to 11-loss Kansas State is not a resume booster, no matter how many ranked teams the Wildcats have taken down in the last few weeks. And what's more, a loss to Kansas State before becoming weekly underdogs could prove too great a challenge for BYU basketball down the stretch.
A desperate Kansas State team could get hot in a hurry, so BYU needs to keep their offense flowing to keep the pace. In a back-and-forth struggle for a win both teams desperately need, I believe the Cougars come pull to the front in the final minutes and holds to an ugly, but empowering victory.
Prediction: BYU 64, Kansas State 59
This game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time in the Marriott Center. You can also catch it on ESPN+.