The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a major change to its general conference for April, right as BYU ranks as one of the 10 best teams in college basketball. The timing of this decision is probably a coincidence.
Probably.
There is a very slim chance that the Mormon Church changed the entire schedule of its most important gathering for college basketball. But, with that being said, a very slim chance is a nonzero chance!
BYU is really good at college basketball.
Although it is only November and preseason rankings do not matter, the Cougars are a legitimate national title contender this season. As of this writing, they currently rank as the No. 9 team in the country at 3-1 with a loss only to No. 3-ranked UConn by two points on Saturday.
A.J. Dybantsa leads BYU. The No. 1 player in the recruiting Class of 2025 is averaging more than 20 points on 57.% shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a true freshman. He is as advertised.
Money might not be the only reason Dybantsa landed in Provo but it was perhaps the biggest reason. Members of the Utah Jazz brass stepped up financially to help secure the commitment, which cost anywhere between $4-7 million. The 6-foot-9 small forward denied the $7 million price tag so the deal likely hovers closer to $4.5 or $5 million for one single season.
He is not the only player on the team who is getting compensated handsomely. I cannot say for certain because the exact numbers are not made public, but I would estimate a total price tag near $15 million.
All of this goes to say that the Cougars are all-in on hoops this season. They look really good.
Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preparing for March Madness?
For those who are not familiar with the Mormon faith, “General Conference” is the worldwide gathering of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is held twice a year, on the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October.
“Church leaders from around the world share messages or sermons focused on the living Christ and His gospel. Viewers learn how to find peace, hope, and joy in Jesus Christ; how to strengthen families by following Jesus’s teachings; and how to receive personal guidance and inspiration from God.”
The first weekend of April also happens to be a very important weekend for college basketball in 2026. The Final Four will take place on Saturday, April 4. Games will take place at 6 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. ET.
That would normally present a scheduling conflict for General Conference. Attendees would normally be in session on Saturday night. They normally wouldn’t be able to watch BYU in the Final Four if it gets there.
Fortunately, that will no longer be an issue. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decided not to include a Saturday evening session at General Conference beginning in April 2026.
I do not think the Mormon Church actually decided to change its schedule for college basketball. However, I cannot say say with absolute certainly it did not.
The Cougars are good enough to get to the Final Four. General Conference will not get in the way of the viewing if they do!