|
BYU Photo
It’s officially basketball season at BYU.
The Marriott Center was back to its rowdy ways Tuesday night, as more than 5,000 students and fans packed the arena for BYU’s annual Marriott Madness preseason pep rally.
It was part meet-and-greet, part circus — Cougar players from both the men’s and women’s teams took the court to introduce themselves, BYU’s dunk team showed off, the Cougarettes danced and Cosmo did Cosmo things.
good to be back🥹 pic.twitter.com/zKX5Gl3jOl
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) October 7, 2026
Students with ROC passes began arriving more than two hours beforehand to receive replica jerseys, and they were treated to their own dance party — complete with a DJ — outside the Marriott Center Annex afterward.
Not too shabby for a Tuesday night in Provo.
A more vocal Rob Wright III addressed the crowd with what appeared to be greater enthusiasm than he’d ever shown before at BYU, and new Cougars big man Jaxon Kohler may have been the most excited Cougar of the night.
Jaxon Kohler: fired up to be a Cougar pic.twitter.com/Paehi6Wj8i
— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) October 7, 2026
BYU’s latest 5-star freshman Bruce Branch III received a hero’s welcome, as did women’s star Delaney Gibb, freshman Provo native Dean Rueckert, Kentucky transfer Collin Chandler and fan favorite Khadim Mboup.
Bruce Branch III gets his first Marriott Center introduction pic.twitter.com/oz32FKsQoF
— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) October 7, 2026
In a 3-point shooting competition, the team of Branch and women’s sharpshooter Kailey Woolston narrowly defeated Liza Astakhova and Chandler.
For head coaches Kevin Young and Lee Cummard, however, the festivities were practically a recruiting effort, each taking the mic to address the fans and help them catch the vision to return often to the Marriott Center during the season.
Cummard’s pitch to come watch his BYU women’s team was simple — “we play fast, we shoot the 3, and we make it miserable for the other team,” he told the crowd, igniting cheers.
|
BYU Photo
|
BYU Photo
|
BYU Photo
|
BYU Photo
Young asked how many fans in the crowd had never attended a basketball game at the Marriott Center, prompting a few thousand hands to be raised, most likely by new freshmen.
“Unless you’ve actually experienced a game in this place, it’s hard to describe the atmosphere that’s in here,” Young said.
“… I mean this sincerely, I want you to know how important (the fans) are for our legitimate home court advantage, and how hard it is for teams to come into this building.”
|
BYU Photo