Region: East
Record: 24-9
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

The Cougars aren't waiting for the arrival of A.J. Dybantsa — the No. 1 recruit of the 2025 class, who reportedly signed an $8.5 million NIL deal — to pursue a national title. In Kevin Young's first season at the helm, the former Phoenix Suns assistant has successfully molded a program that has emerged as one of the country's best over the past month: Between Feb. 11 and Thursday, when BYU beat Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals, the Cougars had the No. 1 offense at BartTorvik.com with 61.2% shooting from inside the arc and 39.2% from beyond it. All-Big 12 first-team honoree Richie Saunders (16.0 PPG, 44% from 3) led this late-season surge, while the 6-foot-9 Egor Demin (10.8 PPG, 5.6 APG) has grown more comfortable running point.