Cougars face San Jose State for first time since 2019

Provo, Utah — The Cougars look for a 2-0 start to the 2025-26 campaign as they host the San Jose Spartans on Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Center. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. MT, with the game streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast live on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org, and the BYU Radio app with Jason Shepherd. 

Matchup Breakdown

BYU and San Jose State have played six times in series history, but haven’t met on the hardwood since 2019, with the Cougars winning the last three meetings. Saturday’s game will be a battle of first-year head coaches, both of whom served as assistants to former BYU head coach Jeff Judkins (Coach Judkins will be in attendance).

All-Time: 4-2

At BYU: 1-0

Cummard vs. San Jose: Never Played

BYU Cougars  ||  1-0, 0-0  ||  Big 12 Conference

WHAT'S AT STAKE  ||  With a win, BYU would move to 2-0 on the young season, the first back-to-back victories since taking down Arizona State and UCF on Feb. 1 and 5, 2025. A win on Saturday would also mark the fourth-consecutive win over San Jose State.

STELLAR SYDNEY  ||  Despite it being her first collegiate game, Sydney Benally showed maturity well beyond her years on Wednesday as BYU took down Coastal Carolina. The true freshman led the Cougars with 11 assists to go along with eight points, six steals and two boards. Benally’s 11 assists marked the first time a Cougar player has recorded 10 assists in a game since two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales on Feb. 10, 2022.

LUCKY NUMBER 7  ||  Benally’s fellow freshman and backcourt mate, Olivia Hamlin, was no slouch in her Marriott Center debut. Hamlin was an efficient 5-for-8 from the floor for 13 points, one of five Cougars to finish in double figures. The Snow Canyon H.S. grad also recorded five steals, three assists and three rebounds on Wednesday.

CANNON'S CAREER NIGHT  ||  Brinley Cannon notched six career highs in the opening game of the 2025-26 season. The sophomore led the Cougars in scoring with a career-high 16 points on a 50-percent clip and made three triples, both career firsts for Cannon. The Shelley, Idaho native matched her career high in made field goals (5) and set new career marks for field goals (10) and three-point attempts (7).

SHARING THE ROCK  ||  Coach Cummard has been emphatic that his team will share the love, make the extra pass and make the right play. That came through in the manner of 27 assists on 30 made field goals against the Chanticleers. Five Cougars recorded multiple assists, with Benally leading the charge with 11 assists, five from Gibb, three from Hamlin and Arielle Mackey-Williams and two from Braeden Gunlock.

BACK FOR MORE  ||  Although the Cougars parted ways with former head coach Amber Whiting following the 2025-26 season, BYU returns seven of nine players from the 2024-25 roster, excluding those who exhausted their eligibility or chose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Guard Amari Whiting, who transferred to Oklahoma State, was one of two players to transfer out of the program, and the only one who transferred to another Power-4 program.

Head Coach – Lee Cummard

• Alma Mater: BYU, 2009
• Division I Career Record: 1-0  ||  1st Season
• Record at BYU: 1-0  ||  1st Season