AJ Dybantsa sets BYU freshman record with 43 points in last test before showdown with No. 1 Arizona

PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa broke BYU’s freshman scoring record and showed again why he could be the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Next up for Dybantsa and the Cougars: the No. 1 team in the country.

Dybantsa scored 43 points to lead the No. 13 Cougars to a 91-78 victory over Utah on Saturday, surpassing Danny Ainge’s school record for points in a game by a freshman. He went 15 for 24 from the field and 9 for 10 from the free throw line in the first 40-point game of his collegiate career.

“It feels good to break any record — if it was Danny’s or not,” Dybantsa said. “I just thank my teammates for just giving me the ball in the right spots. God was on my side. I was hitting shots.”

Dybantsa’s performance came a week after he scored a career-low 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting in an 84-71 loss to Texas Tech. BYU coach Kevin Young made a concerted effort to avoid double-teams by keeping Dybantsa in constant motion. Young reasoned it would give his freshman star easier looks at the basket.

He was right. Dybantsa bounced back by scoring or assisting on 11 of the Cougars’ 18 second-half baskets.

“We were moving him around a little bit more than we usually do because of how they guarded him up there,” Young said. “We wanted to get him on the move more. It was harder to double-team and our guys did a good job of screening and getting him the ball.”

The Utes shot 62% from 3-point range and were 8 for 10 from long distance after halftime. That still wasn’t good enough largely because of Dybantsa, who helped the Cougars build a 21-point lead with 1:43 left.

“He is a generational talent and he showed what he’s capable of tonight,” Utah coach Alex Jensen said. “There’s no telling how good he can get.”

Dybantsa was the third freshman on a power conference team to score at least 40 points on Saturday. Illinois guard Keaton Wagler tallied 46 points in an 88-82 victory over Purdue and Houston guard Kingston Flemings had 42 points in a 90-86 loss to Texas Tech.

“I feel like we have a crazy class,” Dybantsa said. “I think we have one of the best classes in recent years.”

Dybantsa came into Saturday’s game averaging 22.5 points on 54.7% shooting from the field. On Monday, he will test himself against undefeated and top-ranked Arizona.

The BYU star has been widely projected as a top-3 pick in NBA mock drafts. For Young, there’s no question concerning his true status.

“He’s hands down the clear-cut No. 1 pick in the NBA draft upcoming and it was on display tonight,” Young said. “He was doing it every which way.”

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