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
Jackson Payne
By Jackson Payne
Jackson has been writing about sports for the Deseret News since 2023.

Just 11 days ago, West Virginia bodied backsliding BYU for a 79-71 win, helping secure a higher Big 12 tournament seed than the Cougars.

But less than two weeks later, BYU looked like a completely different team, defeating those same Mountaineers 68-48 Wednesday in the Big 12 tournament’s second round in Kansas City.

“I want to start out by giving Coach (Kevin) Young and his team a lot of credit,” West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge said following Wednesday’s loss. “I thought they were the more physical team today ... we just didn’t play well enough to beat a quality opponent this time of year.”

The Cougars were carried by a dominant defensive effort, as West Virginia managed just 48 total points at an average of 0.8 points per possession. The Mountaineers also committed 22 turnovers, resulting in 17 subsequent BYU points.

“Obviously (we) turned the ball over entirely too much,” Hodge said. “... I thought the biggest thing was just their physicality and the intensity at which they played with. They made it hard for us to move the ball.”

In BYU’s loss at West Virginia 11 days ago, Khadim Mboup played just 11 minutes, while Dominique Diomande didn’t play at all. On Wednesday, Mboup and Diomande were the Cougars’ two best defenders, helping BYU’s length and athleticism make life difficult for the Mountaineers.

“They played some different lineup combinations and ended up playing a little more athletic and a little more physical. (Diomande) didn’t play much at our place,” Hodge said. “So really I just felt it was like they were a lot more disruptive, got their hands on balls and really took us out of things that we were trying to do, whereas a couple weeks ago I thought the ball moved a little easier.

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“And obviously, like I said, just turning the ball over 22 times, you don’t give yourself much of a chance. But you’ve got to give them a lot of credit for that. I just thought their physicality and intensity level was a lot higher.”

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3 takeaways from BYU’s win over West Virginia in the Big 12 tournament

With the loss, West Virginia goes one-and-done in the Big 12 tournament and falls to 18-14 in Hodge’s first season at the helm of the program, with practically no chance of making the NCAA tournament.

But Hodge is clearly building something solid in Morgantown, with his Mountaineers giving plenty of reasons for optimism throughout the past campaign.

“West Virginia is a team that plays extremely hard,” Young said. “Well-coached team. Coach Hodge has done a great job being a first-year coach in this league — this is a hard league. He’s done a great job in his first year.”

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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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