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BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) drives past Oklahoma State guard Vyctorius Miller (5) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 in Stillwater, Okla.

Mitch Alcala, AP Photo

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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives to the basket against Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Provo, Utah.

Rob Gray, AP Photo

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Saturday night’s late (8:30 p.m. MT) Big 12 showdown between No. 16 BYU and No. 8 Houston is expected to draw a sellout crowd to the Marriott Center.

You’ll understand if many Cougar fans — both in the arena and viewing on a national ESPN broadcast — will be watching while covering their eyes with their hands, peaking through their fingers.

The last couple of weeks have been rough.

After a 16-1 start and rising as high as No. 7 in the AP poll, BYU has hit the skids and has lost four of its past five games. The current three-game losing streak (at home to No. 1 Arizona, on the road to No. 13 Kansas and most recently in Stillwater to Oklahoma State) has revealed a porous defense allowing opponents to shoot 55% from the field and score 91.7 points per game.

The Cougars have allowed 120 points in the paint during the latest three-game stretch, but not in a traditional sense. They haven’t faced a dominating big man who scores in the middle but a series of guards who are basically getting to the rim whenever they want. Arizona’s Brandon Burries and Jalon Bradley combined for 55 points; Kansas’ guards had 53 (led by 18 first-half points from Darynn Peterson) and the OSU guards scored 62, with Anthony Roy going for 30.

BYU allowed 52 points in the paint to the Cowboys, who scored 20 of their 35 baskets in the painted area.

Cougar coach Kevin Young laid things out pretty plainly during his Thursday night coaches show.

“Our defense was abysmal,” Young said. “It was awful, there’s no other way to say it. Our 1-on-1 defense was pathetic. It’s hard because there’s no scheme for that. You can scheme for this (or that), but when a guy is straight line driving you, there’s no scheme for that.

“So it’s something that we have to take more pride in on that end of the floor and obviously not turning the ball over and allowing teams to get out … our transition defense has really been predicated on the turnovers the last couple of games and that’s really been hurting us.”

So lower turnovers and better defense can solve the Cougars’ ills.

Pretty straight forward, but also a huge challenge against Houston.

About this time last year, BYU found a good rhythm and went on a nine-game winning streak.

Could that happen again?

“This is similar to last year, where we went through a tough patch,” Young said. “This year its a little bit harder because our depth isn’t quite there. I feel like of late we’ve really missed some of the guys who have been out with season-ending injuries (Dawson Baker, Nate Pickens, Brody Kozlowski), but that’s life, that’s how it goes. Other guys have to step up and guys that are playing have to figure out ways to do the right thing.

“More than anything, I just want the guys to take a look in the mirror and figure out what they can do individually to help our group get through this. They need to understand that everything we want to accomplish this season is still very much on the table. But time is getting short. We don’t have that many opportunities left.”

Scouting Report

In 2019, BYU beat Houston in Texas 72-71 on a buzzer beater from TJ Haws, with former blue Cougar coach Dave Rose, who played for the red Cougars back in the day, sitting in the front row.

Ah, that was a memory.

Since BYU joined the Big 12, Houston has won all three meetings and the last two in dominant fashion. Last season the red Cougars got an 86-55 win at home and then drilled the blue Cougars 74-54 in the Big 12 semifinals on their way to an NCAA runner-up finish, losing to Florida in the championship game.

Kelvin Sampson’s squad, as has been his calling card, suffocates teams defensively. Houston leads the Big 12 in scoring defense (63.3 per game), opponent’s field goal percentage (.400) and forced turnovers (14.3 per game).

The red Cougars are not an elite offensive team and are seventh in the Big 12 in scoring (79.2). But they do take care of the basketball (No. 1 in assist-to-turnover margin at +2.05) and their defensive prowess allows them to survive any offensive lulls that happen over the course of a game.

Houston has its own hotshot freshman in Kingston Flemings (17 points and 5.5 assists per game, 52% FG) who lit up Texas Tech for 42 points last month. Two veteran guards in Emanuel Sharp (15.9 ppg) and Milos Uzan (11.5 points, 3.9 assists per game) and a couple of powerful defensive minded forwards (6-foot-10 Chris Cenac Jr. and 6-8 Joseph Tugler) make the red Cougars a nightmare to play against.

Houston’s only losses this season were to No. 17 Tennessee (76-73) and at Texas Tech (90-86).

“Every night (in the Big 12) is hard but at the same time, it’s a blessing too because every night you have a chance to get a big win,” Young said. “This (vs. Oklahoma State) was an opportunity that we let slip. We’ve got a big one coming up at home against a good Houston team. You can’t get too down in this league. There are always opportunities to build up your resume and get your confidence going.”

Senior guard Richie Saunders was resolute in his comments.

“There are two options: Cry and be sad about it or figure it out,” he said. “I’ve been in this position twice (in his career) and it sucks. I asked a coach one time, ‘Why is everyone treating me like a sad dog?’ He said, ‘Because you’re acting like a sad dog.’

“I’ve been around this game a lot where it feels like the worst thing in the world and you think it can’t get worse, and then it does. You’re left with a choice. I’m choosing to figure it out.”

Men’s College Basketball

No. 8 Houston (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) at No. 16 BYU (17-5, 5-4 Big 12)

Saturday, 8:30 p.m. MT

Marriott Center, Provo

TV/Streaming: ESPN

Radio: KSL 102.7/1160 AM, BYU Radio-Sirus XM 143

Live stats: byucougars.com

The Word: Houston leads the overall series with BYU 8-3 and has won the past three meetings. … BYU is 1-2 against the red Cougars in Provo, with the only win coming in 1965. … Houston advanced to the national championship game last season, losing to Florida. … The blue Cougars are 24-3 at home under Kevin Young with all three losses coming to ranked teams (Arizona twice and Texas Tech).