Who led BYU to victory over Villanova?

Freshman AJ Dybantsa scored 21 points to lead 8th-ranked BYU to a 71-66 win over Villanova.

How did BYU's defense impact the game?

BYU forced 11 Villanova turnovers, leading to 17 points for the Cougars.

Home / Sports / Freshman Phenom Propels BYU to Upset Win Over Villanova

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

Freshman Phenom Propels BYU to Upset Win Over Villanova

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.