It's the most wonderful time of the year, as regular-season basketball games draw to a close and we approach college basketball's biggest stage: March Madness.
But first, there is one final bridge for the Cougars to cross — the Phillips 66 Big 12 tournament.
BYU had a rough February, starting the month ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll, sliding out of the top 25 after losing six of their ten games. The Big 12 tournament is the Cougars' last chance to boost their résumé ahead of the NCAA Tournament later this month.
After ending their three-game losing streak with a win over No. 10 Texas Tech at home on Saturday, BYU will take on Kansas State in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday.
The Cougars are 6-5 against the Wildcats all-time, including a 1-2 record at neutral sites.
This is the second meeting between the Cougars and Wildcats this season. BYU opened their Big 12 season against Kansas State on Jan. 3, securing its second series win under coach Kevin Young.
The 12-19 Wildcats ended their regular season with a loss at rival No. 14/15 Kansas, falling 104-85. All-Big 12 Honorable Mention P.J. Haggerty led No. 15 seed Kansas State, posting 21 points, shooting 8 of 18 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line.
The 6-foot-4 junior was the only Wildcat to receive Big 12 Honors, but Nate Johnson and David Castillo contribute to the offense, averaging 32.6 and 28.0 points per game, respectively.
BYU's "Big Three" — AJ Dybansta, Rob Wright III, and Richie Saunders — also picked up All-Big 12 Honors. Dybansta, the nation's leading scorer, was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in addition first team All-Big 12 Honors. Wright, named to the third team, averages 18.6 points per game after earning a larger role when Saunders tore his ACL.
Wright and Dybansta have combined for 1,344 points on the season, accounting for more than half of the Cougars' total points.
BYU will look to rely on the depth of its roster as it looks to build their momentum after taking down a top-10 foe, utilizing players like Keba Keita, Kennard Davis Jr, Mihailo Boskovic, Khadim Mboup and Abdullah Ahmed.
The first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament will begin at 5 p.m. MDT on Tuesday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.