No. 23 BYU secured a 79-69 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday night at the Marriott Center, marking the Cougars’ first victory against a Top 10 opponent this season.
Freshman AJ Dybantsa led the team in both points and assists, finishing with 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting and nine assists while playing all 40 minutes. Dybantsa also tied with redshirt freshman Khadim Mboup for a team-high 10 rebounds.
Kennard Davis Jr. contributed 17 points, making six of his thirteen field goal attempts and three of eight from beyond the arc. Davis also grabbed four offensive rebounds, helping BYU out-rebound Iowa State by a margin of 39 to 28.
Senior Mihailo Boskovic, in his third career start and first at home, posted a career-high 13 points along with five rebounds. He shot five of eleven from the field and made two three-pointers, including a crucial shot from the corner late in the game.
“I think there’s a lot to be said about opportunity and confidence,” second-year head coach Kevin Young said. “Those guys understand that now that Richie is out, their numbers are going to get called more. With Mihailo, I think he understands that he’s going to play more minutes, so I think it’s a little bit easier to get into a rhythm when you have that mindset, but at the same time, they get all the credit because they’ve stayed ready and they’ve been able to deliver.”
BYU scored 40 points in the paint and converted half of its shots on 58 attempts. Defensively, BYU held Iowa State to just over 42 percent shooting from the field and forced ten turnovers.
The Cougars opened strong with Dybantsa blocking an early Iowa State shot before assisting Keba Keita for an alley-oop basket. A key run late in the first half put BYU ahead by double digits; Dybantsa finished the opening period with fourteen points and four assists while Mboup tallied nine rebounds in ten minutes.
In the second half, BYU maintained control as Dybantsa hit an early three-pointer followed by another long-range shot from Davis. The Cyclones narrowed the deficit midway through the half but Boskovic responded with an important three-point play. As Iowa State threatened late in regulation, Boskovic’s corner three extended BYU’s lead before free throws and a Keita dunk closed out the win.
BYU will return to action at home against UCF on Tuesday, February 24th at 9 p.m. MST; ESPN2 will broadcast the game.
