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Freshman Phenom Propels BYU to Upset Win Over Villanova
4 Nov
Summary
- Freshman AJ Dybantsa scores 21 points in BYU debut
- BYU extends regular-season win streak to 9 games
- Villanova struggles with 11 turnovers, leading to 17 BYU points
On November 4th, 2025, the 8th-ranked BYU Cougars defeated the Villanova Wildcats 71-66 in a thrilling season opener for both teams. Freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa led the way for BYU, scoring 21 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in his collegiate debut. Richie Saunders also had a strong performance, contributing 15 points and 7 rebounds for the Cougars.
The victory extended BYU's regular-season win streak to 9 games, their longest such run since the 2019-20 season. Meanwhile, Villanova, who had been dealing with a rash of injuries leading up to the start of the season, struggled with 11 turnovers, which led to 17 points for the Cougars.
Despite the loss, Villanova was led by Bryce Lindsay's 22 points. Christian Jeffrey added 11 points, and Duke Brennan finished with 8 points and 15 rebounds for the Wildcats. However, it was not enough to overcome the impressive performance from the Cougars, who shot 36% from the field in the first half but were able to pull away in the second half.
