Not exactly the kind of pace you would expect from a Kevin Young-coached squad.

BYU found its offensive efficiency in the second half in a big way, shooting 69% from the field and scoring 60 points in a 94-83 victory against the Buckeyes in front of 10,422 fans at the Delta Center.

“It’s funny that we scored that many because it kind of felt like it was stuck in the first half,” BYU junior Collin Chandler said. “We felt like we couldn’t get anything to flow. It’s a really good sign for us that we can turn around like that by just talking about it and wearing teams down. I feel like that’s what happened tonight.”

After a bit of a slow start BYU’s Robert Wright III scored 19 of his 33 points in the second half, finishing 4 of 5 from the 3-point line and 11 of 12 from the charity stripe while contributing five assists with just one turnover.

Courtesy BYU Photo

Young — who picked up his 50th victory as a college coach — said Wright showed “everything” against the Buckeyes.

“It felt like you he had it,” Young said. “I just thought (it was) his poise, really. You’re going to look to the shot making and the point total. But for me, he controls the game. We found a nice rhythm. It didn’t feel like they could guard us in the pick and roll, and Rob was doing a good job of getting downhill. When he’s making those step backs against switches, it’s really impossible to guard.”

The other four starters all scored in double figures, with Chandler and Tyler Betsey totaling 15 points each. Betsey made four 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds as well. Bruce Branch III had 12 points in his college debut and Jaxon Kohler scored nine of his 11 points in the second half.

Once the Cougars got rolling, the attack came from everywhere.

“I think we just played to our identity,” Young said. “In the first half they put us in mud a little bit, particularly the first five or six minutes. Some of the switching just kind of played us uncharacteristic.

Courtesy BYU Photo

“The message for our guys coming into the game was ‘Don’t make stuff up.’ We’ve had a tremendous couple of months with this group, and I’ve said it to the group and I’ve said it to you guys a few times that this can be a very dynamic offensive team, and so to hang 60 points in a half on somebody of that caliber is impressive.”

The Cougars struggled offensively in the first half, making just 1 of 8 from the 3-point line and falling behind by 11 points, 22-11, at the 9:20 mark.

Wright scored 10 points in a six-minute stretch and BYU trailed by three, 37-34, at the break after Nate Pickens made a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

BYU came out on fire in the second half, scoring field goals on six of its first seven possessions including a pair of 3-point plays from Wright and Kohler for a 50-43 advantage. Ohio State was in a good groove offensively as well, making 8 of its first ten shots in the second half to reclaim the lead at 57-55 with 11:55 to play.

Kohler scored six points in an 11-2 BYU run that produced a 66-59 BYU lead. Brooks Bahr sped in for a layup and Wright nailed a 3-point for a 71-61 advantage with 8:05 remaining. The Buckeyes closed to within six a couple of times but the Cougars put the ball away with some high-flying acrobatics. Chandler drove in and dunked on 6-foot-11 Andrija Jelavic and Wright tossed an alley-oop to Branch. Wright finished things off with a step-back 3-pointer to beat the shot clock in the final minute and another lob, this one to Khadim Mboup, for a dunk to send the crowd home happy.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

“We just watched the film from the first half and we learned we were making the game tougher than it needed to be,” Wright said. “We just got downhill in the second half and found our shooters and were able to put down the shots.”

Amare Bynum topped Ohio State (0-1) with 20 points and John Mobley Jr. added 14. The Buckeyes, which made the NCAA Tournament as an eight-seed last season, will host Youngstown State on Friday.

BYU (1-0) returns to the Marriott Center Friday to host Omaha.

BYU head coach Kevin Young reacts against Ohio State in a men's college basketball game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, November 2, 2026.

BYU's Tyler Betsey shoots a 3-pointer against Ohio State in a men's college basketball game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, November 2, 2026.

BYU's Bruce Branch III dunks the ball against Ohio State in a men's college basketball game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, November 2, 2026.