AJ Dybantsa scores career-high 43 as No. 13 BYU tops rival Utah
AJ Dybantsa recorded a career-high 43 points to lead No. 13 BYU to a 91-78 win over rival Utah on Saturday in Provo, Utah.
He broke Danny Ainge's BYU freshman record of 36 points, set in 1977, in the effort. Dybantsa totaled 24 points in the second half when the Cougars (17-2, 5-1 Big 12) blew the game open against the Utes (9-11, 1-6).
The win sets the stage for a monstrous Big 12 showdown for BYU on Monday night against No. 1 Arizona. The game will be played in Provo.
Keanu Dawes led Utah with 23 points and Terrence Brown scored 22 in the loss. Both netted four 3-pointers for Utah, which lost despite shooting a sizzling 61.9% (13 of 21) from long distance.
Dybantsa was 15-of-24 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line to lead the Cougars. He added six rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.
Robert Wright III had another big game for BYU with 21 points and five rebounds, while Richie Saunders contributed 12 points in a on an uncharacteristic shooting night (4 of 13).
The Cougars shot 53.3% (32 of 60) from the field and outrebounded Utah 40-24 to beat their rivals for the second time in two weeks. BYU won 89-84 in Salt Lake City on Jan. 10.
Brown put Utah within two points five minutes into the second half with a 3-pointer before Wright made a layup to jumpstart the Cougars on a 14-3 surge.
Dybantsa made a pair of dunks and drained three 3-pointers while scoring 13 points in a dominating 3 1/2-minute stretch that gave the Cougars a 21-point lead with 2:33 left.
Both teams got off to rough starts from the field, with the Utes missing their first seven shots.
Even though Utah didn't record its first basket until Dawes drained a 3-pointer at the 13:06 mark, BYU only held a two-point lead at that point.
A Wright 3-pointer put the Cougars up by seven in the first half before the Utes rallied, taking a 24-23 lead after McHenry nailed consecutive 3s.
Dybantsa finished the half with 19 points to push BYU to a 42-37 halftime lead.
Don McHenry scored 16 points for Utah.