Report: BYU Basketball Set to Compete in 2025 Diamond Head Classic
The 2025-2026 non-conference schedule for BYU basketball will be tougher and more exciting for fans as Kevin Young enters his second season and the program welcomes top recruit AJ Dybantsa.
One part of the upcoming schedule was revealed last week when Jon Rothstein reported that BYU will participate in the Diamond Head Classic during Thanksgiving.
Normally held at Christmas, this 8-team tournament will take place over Thanksgiving this year to attract stronger teams. BYU is set to play three games at the University of Hawaii’s arena.
Sources have shared that three other teams, Boston College, St. Louis, and Hawaii, will join the event. Four additional teams are still needed to complete the field. The inclusion of BYU in early reports suggests the tournament is seeking high-quality teams and used the addition of Dybantsa to draw attention from top schools.
As previously reported in December, BYU will start the next season against Villanova in Las Vegas. Kevin Young has expressed his desire for a tougher non-conference schedule to better prepare his team for Big 12 competition, and TV networks are eager to showcase potential #1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa.
Here’s what we know so far about BYU’s non-conference schedule:
Vs Villanova (Las Vegas)
Diamond Head Classic, 3 games
at Wyoming — This game could potentially be bought out. Sources have indicated BYU is working on several home-and-home series with Power Conference teams (though I cannot confirm which schools at this point). Another addition to the schedule is the possibility of two televised exhibition games against Division 1 teams, which can be held in front of fans. In the past, exhibitions had to be either “secret” scrimmages, games against non-D1 teams, or charity exhibitions with proceeds going to a cause. Now, schools can broadcast these games and keep ticket revenue as they see fit. BYU is expected to play two exhibition games against high-quality opponents, likely to be Quad 1 teams.
