BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) watches his three-pointer fly during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Jay Drew
By Jay Drew
Jay has covered sports in Utah for more than 30 years and has been writing for the Deseret News since 2019.

KANSAS CITY — Pardon the West Virginia basketball team for not realizing BYU’s Kennard Davis Jr. had the kind of performance that he had Wednesday night in him.

After playing a quiet 29 minutes and scoring just seven points a week ago Saturday in Morgantown, Davis was one of the biggest reasons why BYU got revenge in a Big 12 tournament second-round game at T-Mobile Center.

The 6-foot-6 junior from St. Louis by way of Southern Illinois put together his best game as a Cougar, scoring a season-high 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting in BYU’s 68-48 win. Davis was 5 of 6 from 3-point range and has now made nine of his last 11 3-point attempts.

In another somewhat surprising development, BYU coach Kevin Young is allowing Davis to speak to reporters for the first time since he was cited for DUI, marijuana possession, in mid-November. Davis has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor and awaits a court hearing on the matter in April.

For now, he’s having a fantastic March — just in time for the Cougars (23-10).

“I would say I just let my defense turn into offense,” Davis said from the podium Wednesday. “Obviously, coach put me in a good spot. My teammates are trusting me. That’s what I would say, is that it has started with defense.”

On defense, Davis and Khadim Mboup slowed down WVU’s leading scorer, Honor Huff, who was held to 3 of 13 shooting. Huff got eight of his 17 points at the free-throw line.

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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) shoots a floater over West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jasper Floyd (1) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Dominique Diomande (24) dunks over West Virginia Mountaineers guard Chance Moore (13) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU head coach Kevin Young waves to the fans as he exits the court after BYU defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 68-48 in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Jared McGregor (51) celebrates a three-pointer by guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30), not pictured, with his teammates on the bench during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) watches his three-pointer fly during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) shoots a three-pointer over West Virginia Mountaineers guard Chance Moore (13) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives past West Virginia Mountaineers guard Chance Moore (13) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) looks on during a press conference after BYU defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 68-48 in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Kansas City Chiefs head coach and BYU alumni Andy Reid looks on as he attends a game between BYU and the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts as the ball slips away from him during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Khadim Mboup (7) blocks a lay up attempt by West Virginia Mountaineers center Harlan Obioha (55) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) speaks with a Red Bull sitting in front of him during a press conference after BYU defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 68-48 in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) looks on during a timeout during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) looks to pass around West Virginia Mountaineers guard Chance Moore (13) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) passes the ball to forward Dominique Diomande (24) during the second half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Khadim Mboup (7) defends West Virginia Mountaineers forward Brenen Lorient (0) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU head coach Kevin Young sets the play during the second half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) defends West Virginia Mountaineers guard Amir Jenkins (2) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Dominique Diomande (24) dunks during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Players fight for a rebound during the first half of the game between BYU and the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) calls for the ball during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) and forward Khadim Mboup (7) grab a rebound over West Virginia Mountaineers guard Treysen Eaglestaff (52) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge reacts to a turnover during the first half of the game against BYU in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks on as he attends a game between BYU and the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) takes the ball up court during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) celebrates with forward Dominique Diomande (24) and guard Aleksej Kostić (6) after a dunk by Diomande during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Dominique Diomande (24) dunks during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) gestures to the bench after making a three-pointer during the first half of the game against BYU in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge calls out to his players during the first half of the game against BYU in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward Khadim Mboup (7) defends West Virginia Mountaineers forward Brenen Lorient (0) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives to the basket for a lay up during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) drives past West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jasper Floyd (1) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Davis started the turnaround with 16 points in BYU’s 82-76 win over No. 10 Texas Tech last Saturday, and made four triples en route to 15 points against K-State on Tuesday.

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“Obviously, I was in a slump this season,” he said. “Coaches kept trusting me, telling me to do something else to get going, like go get an offensive rebound or get an assist. I feel like they helped me out a lot.”

Davis logged 33 minutes Wednesday, while AJ Dybantsa (27 points) played 39 minutes and Robert Wright played 35. So obviously the blue Cougars will have their work cut out for them against the red Cougars, whom haven’t played since Saturday.

But Davis said BYU will be ready to go in the matchup with Houston. Last year, UH dominated BYU 74-54 in a Big 12 tournament semifinal game in Kansas City.

“You could say that obviously we are kind of warm,” Davis said. “We are having good games. We are used to the hoops. The hoops are kinda tight. The court has the LED lights. I am kind of used to it now. I think we will be prepared for it.”

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