No. 25 BYU hands Ohio State first season-opening loss since 2003

Robert Wright III scored 33 points to lead five BYU players in double figures as the No. 25 Cougars handed Ohio State a 94-83 loss on Monday in Salt Lake City.

Collin Chandler and Tyler Betsey each had 15 points, Bruce Branch III scored 12 and Jaxon Kohler 11 to help BYU (1-0) overcome a three-point halftime deficit.

Amare Bynum led the Buckeyes with 20 points, John Mobley Jr. scored 14, Andrija Jelavic tallied 13 and Justin Pippen added 12.

Mobley fouled out with 4:49 to play and the Buckeyes trailing 73-67, and Pippen, his backcourt partner, picked up his fifth foul with 2:12 left and BYU ahead by eight.

Ohio State (0-1) lost its opening game for the first time since 2003.

Kohler keyed a 7-0 run to break a 59-59 deadlock midway through the second half. After a 3-pointer by Betsey, Kohler made a pair of free throws and followed with a layup to make it 66-59 with 9:30 left.

The Cougars then stretched the lead to 73-61 at the end of a 14-2 run.

The teams had a lot in common beginning with both making first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament last season after the Cougars won 23 games and the Buckeyes 21.

Both had to retool with the Cougars facing the challenge of replacing AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.

The Buckeyes were without Bruce Thornton, who in his fourth season as a starter in 2025-26 became the program's all-time leading scorer.

With numerous additions for each team, it was no surprise there was a feeling-out period early before the Buckeyes reeled off eight straight points to take a 13-5 lead.

Ohio State extended its lead to 11 twice, but BYU chipped away and got the deficit to within three at 37-34 entering halftime after Nate Pickens hit an arcing 3-pointer from the left corner with three seconds left to counter the trey by Pippen 11 seconds earlier for the Buckeyes.

Pippen, Mobley and Bynum each had eight points in the first half for the Buckeyes, who shot 53.8% from the floor over the opening 20 minutes, including 6 of 12 from 3-point territory.

Wright led the Cougars with 14 first-half points.

--Field Level Media