Church Ball: A BYU Basketball Podcast · The Field of 68, Blue Wire

INSTANT REACTION: BYU UPSETS IOWA STATE | COUGARS GET A QUAD 1A WIN!

February 22, 2026·1 hr 23 min·1 clip

The episode opens on a late-night live reaction after BYU's 79-69 win over Iowa State at the Marriott Center. The hosts point out that Iowa State was the number six team in the country and, if the tournament had started that day, the last one-seed. They treat the result as a huge statement win for BYU. The first topic is A.J. DeBansa and the scale of what he just did. He finishes with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, one assist short of a triple-double. The hosts almost sound offended that anyone would still question his draft status after a night like that. They keep coming back to how fun he is to watch in a BYU uniform. The conversation stays excited and reactive, but it does not stop at praise. They start working through what the win says about the team as a whole. They point out that BYU had more open shots in this game, and they say the group has spent much of the season trying to find its flow and chemistry. The win is framed as a sign that those pieces may finally be starting to fit. Richie Saunders' absence becomes part of the discussion. One side argues that the team might actually be better with the current spacing and role distribution. The other side says BYU probably wins this game with Richie too, and maybe by even more. They settle on the idea that A.J. has been forced into a creator role that has helped unlock him. At the same time, the role players seem more comfortable playing without as much pressure. They mention how players like Boscovich and Costich can step into the game with more freedom. The hosts also revisit earlier lineup questions and suggest they may have wanted A.J. and Rob as the primary creators all along. Richie, in that framing, may be best used off the ball. The episode closes with the usual live-show banter and a reminder to subscribe. They preview a UCF episode coming Monday. They also insist that they will be live after every game this season, clearing up any rumors to the contrary. The whole thing feels like a fan conversation that starts with celebration, then turns into a real argument about what the win means.

As heard by us

BYU's home win over Iowa State, A.J. DeBansa's near triple-double, and a postgame that balances celebration with lineup questions.

BYU's home win over Iowa State carries enough weight to anchor the conversation, and the hosts stay with that significance. They keep the 79-69 result front and center, note Iowa State's No. 6 ranking, and give A.J.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want the raw postgame after BYU's biggest win of the season.

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