BYU Basketball’s Kennard Davis Arrested on Suspicion of DUI

Brigham Young University men’s basketball star Kennard Davis was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Thursday, November 13, two days before the No. 7 Cougars face third-ranked UConn in a marquee early season showdown.

Davis, 20, was charged with driving under the influence after crashing his car in Provo, Utah, and was treated for minor injuries, police told ESPN in a story published Friday, November 14. The other party involved in the crash did not suffer any injuries that required hospital treatment.

“We are aware of the allegations and looking into the situation,” the university said in a statement to ESPN.

While an athlete’s arrest could result in suspension from the team at any university, Davis’ situation is more complicated because he attends BYU. The school is the flagship university of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, meaning students must adhere to a strict honor code.

The honor code calls for students and employees to “abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, vaping, marijuana, and other substance abuse” and those who violate the honor code could face punishment “up to and including dismissal from the university or termination of employment.”

The BYU men’s basketball team has dealt with honor code violations in the past, most notably with Brandon Davies, who played for the Cougars from 2009 to 2013. After BYU started the 2010-11 season 27-2, rising to No. 3 in the AP Poll, Davies, now 34, was suspended for having premarital sex with his girlfriend. He did not play again that season and was reinstated to the team the following fall.

BYU did not reveal whether Davis traveled with the team to Boston for the game against UConn on Saturday, November 15.

Davis transferred to BYU from Southern Illinois in the offseason and has started both games he’s played in so far, averaging 9.0 points and shooting almost 60 percent from the field. He missed the Cougars’ most recent game, a win over the University of Delaware, while recovering from a leg injury. He was expected to be available against the Huskies.

“I’m concerned with all of our guys when they have any kind of injury because you want a clean bill of health,” BYU coach Kevin Young told the media after the win over Delaware on Tuesday, November 11. “I do think [Davis] could have played. I was telling the coaches after that [game] it’s amazing when you take one guy out what it does to the team. He’s such a [huge part of our team] because of his toughness, his size, his defensive versatility. I think, for me, it made us all probably appreciate him even more.”

Though the Cougars may be shorthanded against UConn, the team still has plenty of talent, led by projected top three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa.

A Boston native, BYU scheduled Saturday’s contest in order to give its freshman star a homecoming game. Dybantsa, 18, is averaging 18.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game to begin his college career. The Cougars are led in scoring by senior guard Richie Saunders, who is averaging 20.3 points per game on 47 percent three-point shooting.