Through the first two regular season games, fans are liking what they are seeing. The manner in which BYU basketball won those contests were different from one another, which indicates that it can win in more ways than one.
The Ohio State game showed us that Rob Wright III has the ability to take control of a game against a power conference foe. His scoring punch was consistent the whole time and rubbed off on the other guys once the second half came around.
The Omaha game was a demonstration of pure balance, efficiency and unselfishness. Six BYU players scored 10 or more points, yet none of them reached the 20-point threshold. No one has to when you have that many players getting to double digits. They were getting whatever shot they wanted with ease because different guys were taking advantage of the fair share of opportunities being spread around and not forcing the issue. This led to an efficient 55.7% shooting from the field, 45.7% from three and 1.54 points per possession.
The Cougars have the tools to beat teams in a variety of different ways. They remind me of Yoda’s lightsaber form: Ataru. His quick, acrobatic, and rapid-fire style from all types of angles led to his moves being very unpredictable for his opponents because they did not know which angle and when he would strike. Similar to how the jedi master bounces off walls, pillars, and other objects to gain an advantage however he can, BYU has the ability to defeat teams with ways they may not expect them to.
This stretch of games to begin the season is where the Cougars can experiment with the moves they can use as they test out certain things with the starters and depth pieces while making sure they win the games they should. So, what will BYU experiment with in its game plan against Queens? I see three options. The first two we have already seen glimpses of, but the last one is something that has not happened but is a high possibility.
Option 1: Brooks Bahr being the No. 1 facilitator in second unit
Behold, net rating demon Brooks Bahr, pulling in a +54.5 net rating last night when he was on the floor. BYU shot the ball really well when he was out there. pic.twitter.com/f1sCMFYf8P
— Yze Guy (@yze_guy) November 3, 2026
Bahr has shown us some incredible intensity on the defensive end and has fit right in the offense. Surprisingly, he was the only player on the squad that did not score in the last game, but he dished out five assists, grabbed three boards and displayed his typical energy. He keeps the ball moving and the Cougars running. There could be a real possibility that he becomes the main ball handler off the bench setting up the offense even after Dawson Baker comes back. Let’s see the lefty have full reigns when the starting guards are taking a rest.
Option 2: Increased pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop usage with multiple ball handlers
Jaxon Kohler and Khadim Mboup are tremendous big man options to do the screen game with. However, it does not have to be just Wright III and Bahr coming off those picks. Just like how both of them can drive or pull-up off the dribble, so can Collin Chandler and Bruce Branch III. The versatility is dangerous in whatever scenario we find ourselves in these on-ball screens. To be quite frank, I have seen much more off-ball screen action to get the shooters open more often than on-ball screening action.
It is totally fine, but I would love to have both types of action being incorporated at a near equal rate. Make the opposing big men make that tough choice of either play drop coverage or hedge off the pick. Any one of these guys can drive it or take the jumper, whichever is given to them. Kohler’s ability to pop, in addition to rolling to the cup, opens up a little more unpredictability. I am also salivating at the thought of Bahr-Mboup alley-oops making frequent appearances off the bench.
Option 3: Get Bruce Branch III involved early
Call me a cow in a nursery rhyme, because I'm over the moon watching Bruce Branch III.
— Owen Jury (@ojury_007) November 7, 2026
17 pts, 6 reb and 4 stocks on 73% TS in a win over Omaha.
Love how BYU is deploying him, flowing on and off the ball, getting advantages manufactured for him.
Handle is progressing. pic.twitter.com/zvQ8smp5Uj
The true freshman and projected No. 3 pick in the 2027 NBA draft has the dream repertoire of a wing prospect. Branch III has shown wonderful patience in both games as he lets the flow of the game come to him rather than forcing himself into it. With that being said, I would love to see the 18-year-old get slightly more involved early and often. He had two of his 12 points against the Buckeyes in the first half, then seven of 17 in the first half versus the Mavericks.
Of course, the offense does not have to force-feed him, but if he can at least equalize his second-half turn on with the first half, then his confidence will be through the roof for all 40 minutes. Designing plays to put the young fella in good spots to succeed early on will make the offense that much more dangerous both inside and out.
So far, the Royals are 2-1 on the year. The first two games were close, high-output wins against Winthrop and LMU, but then, they dropped a 50-point loss against Oklahoma State. Queens cooled off quite a bit after a torrid start to the season. Defense is not a bright spot for it considering it gave up 98 points to Winthrop, 95 to LMU, then 118 to the Cowboys. If I were a betting man, the Cougars can come out and put up a similar result to what Oklahoma State did.
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