The 2025-26 season has played out similarly for BYU and Baylor as they prepare to do battle Tuesday night.
Both teams came into the season with high expectations. Both teams are currently in free fall.
While BYU is still somehow ranked No. 22, Kevin Young's squad has lost five of its last six games, all Big 12 conference tilts. Baylor is just 3-8 in Big 12 play and started off 1-7 before winning two of its last three with victories over West Virginia and Colorado.
Both BYU and Baylor are looking for momentum. Both are looking to strengthen resumes with the Big 12 conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament looming. Look for the Cougars to have one significant advantage in this game, and it will come from Baylor transfer Robert Wright III.
Get ready for the Robert Wright III revenge game
Sophomore point guard Robert Wright III began his college career last year with the very same Baylor Bears he's now preparing to face. His freshman season was really good, too. In his first -- and only -- season in Waco last year, he averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 assists as Baylor made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 9 seed and won their first game.
Baylor fans were expecting great things from Wright's sophomore season and for him to be a foundational piece for a team with Sweet Sixteen aspirations after losing in the Round of 32. But then RWIII did what many athletes do in today's transfer era and hit the portal.
Much to Baylor's dismay, he chose a Big 12 neighbor, the BYU Cougars, as his new home, and in his first season in Provo he has been as good as advertised.
The quick, sharp-shooting point guard is averaging 17.3 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game for the Cougars. He's shooting 46.9% from the field and a blistering 44.4% from the 3-point line, a massive uptick from his 35.3% last year for Baylor.
Given Baylor's struggles this year and Wright's individual success at BYU, it's going to be a hostile environment for him as he returns to Waco. He's going to get booed. He's going to be accused of being selfish and simply going where the money took him. He's going to hear it from the Baylor faithful.
But Robert Wright III has some alpha in him, and he knows what to expect. He won't back down.
And he's going to have a classic revenge game in this one.
Wright has been an efficient scorer over his last three games, hitting 18-of-35 field goals (50%) and 5-of-10 (50%) of this 3-point attempts. He drew some criticism in his last game with just one assist in a loss to Houston, so look for him to bounce back as a distributor as well.
Robert Wright III is a gamer.
Expect him to have a big game against his former team and for BYU to get back to its winning ways.