AJ Dybantsa Breaks BYU Freshman Scoring Record, Hyped By CBB Fans Amid No. 1 NBA Draft Pick Buzz

BYU guard AJ Dybantsa couldn't be stopped during the Cougars' 91-78 win over Utah on Saturday.

Dybantsa finished with a season-high 43 points on 15-of-24 shooting, setting a new BYU freshman scoring record for a single game.

He connected on four of his five attempts from behind the arc and hit nine of 10 free throws. Dybantsa also recorded six rebounds, three assists and one block.

Fans and pundits praised the historic performance.

BYU opened Saturday's contest with a 19-12 lead, but Utah responded with a 12-4 run to gain a one-point advantage.

Both teams traded baskets before the Cougars eventually took a 42-37 lead into halftime, with Dybantsa scoring five of BYU's final seven points in the first half.

Utah cut the deficit to two points with just over 15 minutes remaining in the second, but wouldn't come any closer for the rest of the game. The Cougars immediately went on a 14-3 run to take a double-digit edge.

BYU eventually cruised to the win, leading by as many as 21 points.

Dybantsa has met the high expectations placed upon him entering his inaugural season with the Cougars. Heading into Saturday's action, he was averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 54.7/30.2/76.0 shooting splits.

He's expected to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA draft, as he was projected to be off the board with the No. 3 overall selection in the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

BYU improved to 17-2 with the victory over Utah, sitting at No. 3 in the Big 12 standings.