College Hoops Insider Projects Seasons For BYU, Utah, Utah State
Sep 25, 2025, 6:23 PM | Updated: Sep 26, 2025, 10:59 am
(Photo courtesy of Nate Edwards, BYU Photo)
(Photo courtesy of Nate Edwards, BYU Photo)
CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein made a trip to the Wasatch Front and visited the BYU, Utah, and Utah State campuses to get a closer look at each school’s basketball program.
Following the visit, he gave his thoughts on each team and even projected what the 2025-2026 season could look like for each program.
Greetings from the great state of Utah. Here to visit with the Utah State staff. Year 2 of the Jerrod Calhoun era. pic.twitter.com/QULYWKpfLG
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Jon Rothstein On Utah State Basketball
His day started up north in Logan to visit with the USU Aggies.
Would expect Utah State’s two power conference transfers — MJ Collins and Kolby King — to both take pressure off Mason Falslev on the perimeter. Collins has NCAA Tournament experience from last season at Vanderbilt. Really good guard core.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
There’s a general belief in Utah State’s program that Karson Templin is the Aggies’ most improved player. Averaged 7.4 PPG and 5.0 RPG last season. An under-the-radar breakout candidate in the Mountain West.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Potential Under-The-Radar Transfer: Garry Clark. Put up big numbers at Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. A name to monitor up front at Utah State. 6-9.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Early prediction on Utah State’s 2025-26 starting five:
Mason Falslev, MJ Collins, Kolby King, Tucker Anderson, Zach Keller
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
ROTHSTEIN REACTION: UTAH STATE. pic.twitter.com/GcLBxlez2s
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Each visit ended with an all-encompassing reaction to what he saw, what he learned, and what he expects from the team in the upcoming season.
His thoughts on Utah State were:
After visiting with the Utah State staff here in the great state of Utah, there are NCAA Tournament aspirations once again under Jerrod Calhoun in year two. Primarily because of the return of Mountain West player of the year candidate Mason Falslev. Falslev is vying for the opportunity to play in three straight NCAA Tournaments with Utah State. The general prognosis from the Aggies staff is that the most improved player in this program since last season is Karson Templin. Tucker Anderson also returns for Utah State, who added two transfers with power conference experience on the perimeter in Kolby King and MJ Collins. A big swing game for Utah State early is a matchup with VCU on November 7 in a neutral site contest. That game could dictate whether or not, just like last season under Jerrod Calhoun, they can get the ball rolling down the right side of the hill en route to another berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Jon Rothstein On Utah Basketball
Just after his time in Logan, Rothstein took the I-15 south to Salt Lake City and the University of Utah campus.
Greetings from Salt Lake City. Here to visit with the Utah staff. Year 1 of the Alex Jensen era. pic.twitter.com/7vstfgWWJi
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
The most likely breakout candidate at Utah is Keanu Dawes. Has big time potential as a skilled stretch 5. Showed flashes previously. Will be a major key for the Utes in 2025-26.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Auburn transfer Jahki Howard has gained roughly seven pounds since the end of last season. Could be a producer with more usage. An under-the-radar Big 12 transfer.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Early prediction on Utah’s 2025-26 starting five:
Terrence Brown, Don McHenry, Jahki Howard, Seydou Traore, Keanu Dawes
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
ROTHSTEIN REACTION: UTAH. pic.twitter.com/mlGTVnMSm2
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Rothstein’s final reactions on the Runnin’ Utes were as follows:
There is a foundation in place for Utah to be competitive this season under Alex Jensen. Keanu Dawes is the player on the Utes roster who is most likely to have a breakout season in the Big 12. He’s got real potential as a skilled face-up five-man. Meanwhile, Auburn transfer Jahki Howard is about seven pounds heavier than he was at the end of last year. He’s another under-the-radar transfer in the Big 12. Utah is going to need two guards to put up big numbers at lower levels, Terrence Brown from FDU, and also Don McHenry from Western Kentucky, to regularly score the basketball. I don’t expect Utah to finish in the top half of the Big 12 this season, but I do think this program has the pieces in place to be competitive in year one under Alex Jensen.
Jon Rothstein On BYU Basketball
Last but not least, Rothstein ended his trip in the state down south in Provo with the BYU Cougars.
Greetings from Provo. Here for BYU practice. Year 2 of the Kevin Young era. pic.twitter.com/3p3HmFG2iK
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Palpable Buzz at BYU practice surrounding Southern Illinois transfer Kennard Davis. Elite perimeter defender. All over 50/50 balls. A Glue Guy to monitor in the Big 12 and nationally.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Richie Saunders is cooking today at BYU practice. Going to get significantly more clean looks with AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright. Made 79 three-point shots last season. Could make 100 in 2025-26.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
The two biggest areas where AJ Dybantsa stood out today? Defense and three-point shooting. Shot the ball with tremendous confidence and also disrupted a number of plays defensively. A special talent.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
The development of BYU’s bench is going to be critical. Cougars have to continue to extend their production. Like the look today of Xavion Staton today as a stretch 5 if/when Keba Keita is out of the game.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
Early prediction on BYU’s 2025-26 starting five:
Rob Wright, Kennard Davis, Richie Saunders, AJ Dybantsa, Keba Keita
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
ROTHSTEIN REACTION: BYU. pic.twitter.com/92tvGNEshh
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 25, 2025
His final thoughts on the BYU basketball team, and its upcoming season, were:
Everybody knew that AJ Dybantsa would live up to the billing this season, and he lived up to the billing at today’s practice in Provo. But the biggest takeaway that I have after spending a couple of hours with BYU today is the amount of open looks that Richie Saunders is going to get playing alongside a guy like Dybantsa, and also Rob Wright, the transfer from Baylor. Saunders made 79 three-point shots last season, and with a better supporting cast around him, don’t discount this sharpshooter from pushing to make 100 three-point shots in 25-26. BYU’s starting five is as good as most in college basketball. But for the Cougars to go beyond where they went last year, and that’s the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, BYU is going to have to get mileage out of its bench. But you know as well as I do, this is only September.
