PROVO — After their matchup, the Kansas men’s basketball team will return to Lawrence Regional Airport with the same number of minutes led in a game in Utah as when they embarked on their two-game road trip against the Beehive State.

Richie Saunders shone bright, scoring 22 points with three assists and sinking four 3-pointers, while BYU dominated with a remarkable 53% shooting in a commanding 91-57 victory over the Jayhawks. This thrilling game took place before an enthusiastic crowd of 17,978 fans at the Marriott Center.

Trevin Knell contributed with 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists for the Cougars (18-7, 9-6 Big 12), while Mawot Mag added 13 points on an impressive 5-of-6 shooting. The team excelled from beyond the arc, finishing with a 55.9% shooting rate on three-pointers.

Dallin Hall provided a solid performance with 10 points and eight assists, while Keba Keita recorded 10 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two thunderous blocks that electrified the audience. BYU coach Kevin Young remarked that this could be one of the most complete performances of the season, celebrating the team’s third consecutive win and seventh out of their last nine games.

“I really think so,” said Young. “And we chose the perfect night to showcase it.”

The victory places BYU firmly in fifth position in the Big 12 Conference with five games left, three of which are on the road, including an upcoming game against No. 19 Arizona this Saturday at 8 p.m. MST on ESPN. Additionally, there’s a challenging away game scheduled for March 4 at No. 8 Iowa State.

The significance of Tuesday’s win was multi-faceted. Knell, who hit four 3-pointers, expressed that the triumph was a result of building on the team’s recent performances. “This game continues the momentum from our last few outings. It feels like another strong team win — we are competing hard in practice, and it’s translating well on the court,” he stated. “It’s a fantastic team victory, and I feel it’s a strong statement.”

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, they returned to Lawrence without having led for a full 40 minutes in their last four games, suffering consecutive losses — the first time this season they have dropped back-to-back games. Moreover, it marked the first occasion that Kansas lost by at least 30 points to an unranked team since rankings began in 1938, according to AP records.

For Kansas (17-9, 8-7 Big 12), Hunter Dickinson managed to score 12 points and collect 14 rebounds, highlighting the team’s struggles. “They thoroughly outplayed us today,” Dickinson admitted. “They defeated us by 36 points; it’s not personal; one team came ready to compete, and the other did not show up.”

BYU started explosively, taking an 8-0 lead right away, which included Knell’s milestone 215th career 3-pointer and his 1,000th overall point.

Mag scored 7 points in the first seven minutes, which helped BYU launch a 14-2 scoring run, establishing a 22-7 lead and prompting Kansas coach Bill Self to call his second timeout.

Self remarked on his team’s performance, stating, “I thought we were terrible, and they were outstanding. Tonight, BYU could have beaten anyone — they were exceptional, and we didn’t make it difficult for them.” He added, “Our offense was lackluster, but that wasn’t the key issue; we simply couldn’t stop them or gain any momentum.”

Unfortunately for Kansas, the situation didn’t improve. Saunders scored 14 points without a miss, shooting 5-for-5, including four three-pointers, and Knell added four triples for 13 points as BYU shot 46.9% overall and dominated with 10 three-pointers, entering halftime with a 46-26 lead.

BYU enjoyed a maximum lead of 38 points midway through the second half and maintained their intensity throughout. The Cougars dominated the rebounding battle 43-33, capitalized on 15 turnovers for 15 points, and assisted 24 of their 34 field goals, with five assists coming from Egor Demin.

Hall expressed optimism, stating, “We’re hitting our peak at just the right moment, demonstrating our best basketball. Our focus is no longer on the opponent but rather on executing our game plan effectively on both ends of the court. I believe we did that exceptionally well. We are ready to show the country what we can do.”