All three of these: Dybantsa records unique triple-double in win against Eastern Washington
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa splits a pair of defenders on his way to the basket against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa rises for a dunk against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s Robert Wright III (1) drives to the basket against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s Richie Saunders goes up for a shot against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s Robert Wright III goes in for a layup against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa takes a jump shot against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa leans back for a jumper against Eastern Washington a men’s college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
Triple-doubles are rare in college basketball.
The one BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa turned in Monday night was really one of a kind.
Dybantsa recorded the first triple-double of his career with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, leading No. 10 BYU to pull away in the second half to rout Eastern Washington 109-81 on Monday at the Marriott Center.
Dybantsa scored his 33 points on 11-of-13 shooting (85%). The freshman became the first Cougar to record a triple-double since Kyle Collinsworth on March 16, 2016, against UAB.
He is the first men’s college basketball player to score 30 or more points in a triple-double since 2018. Dybantsa is also the youngest player to record a college triple-double (according to RealSports @realapp).
He won’t turn 19 until Jan. 27, 2026.
“Incredible,” teammate Richie Saunders said.
“He’s a great talent, a great player,” Robert Wright II said. “It’s crazy.”
Dybantsa penetrated and dished the ball to Mahailo Boskovic for a 3-pointer with two minutes to play for his 10th assist to complete the triple-double.
“I didn’t even know I had nine (assists),” Dybantsa said in his post-game interview on ESPN+. “I was looking at the sideline, everybody was putting up a ‘1’, so I just called for a ball screen. Thank God for Mehi (Boskovic).”
Saunders added 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including four 3-pointers, while Kennard Davis Jr. contributed 17 points behind a career-high five 3-pointers. Wright chipped in 17 points and seven assists as BYU placed five players in double figures.
Dybantsa had to catch a flight for a previous commitment and was not available for the post-game news conference.
“Guy gets a triple-double and bails on the media,” joked Cougar head coach Kevin Young. “He was aggressive, No. 1. He’s really starting to understand how aggressive he can be. College basketball, by nature, is physical. With his ability to get by his man, people put hands on him and he’s able to get to the line. For the most part, they (Eastern Washington) were playing him one-on-one coverage.
“The 10 assists, once he did start drawing a little bit more of a crowd, he was able to find guys. He had the whole thing going.”
The Cougars shot 53.5% from the field and knocked down 16 3-pointers, while outscoring Eastern Washington 26-0 in points off turnovers and winning the rebounding battle 42-31.
BYU seized control early in the second half, opening the period on a 14-2 run to extend its halftime lead and never looked back. The Cougars scored 56 points after the break, shooting 60.5% in the second half to stretch the margin to as large as 28.
The teams traded baskets through the opening minutes before Dybantsa made an impact on both ends, coming up with a steal and finishing a fast-break dunk. After an Eagles 3-pointer, Davis Jr. found Robert Wright III for a triple to steady BYU.
Eastern Washington briefly regained the lead, but Dybantsa answered with a contested jumper from the elbow and followed by setting up Davis Jr. for a 3-pointer. Back-to-back triples from Davis Jr. and Tyler Mrus, both off Dybantsa assists, capped a 6-0 BYU run and gave the Cougars a 20-18 advantage at the 12:16 media timeout.
In the final minutes of the half, BYU’s activity on the glass turned into points as Dybantsa tracked down an offensive rebound and threw down a putback tip-in dunk to push the Cougars in front, 40-35. Eastern Washington answered from deep on the next trip, but BYU continued to apply pressure.
Dybantsa and Saunders powered the closing stretch, combining for 35 points in the opening half while repeatedly getting to the free-throw line. Dybantsa closed the half by finding Saunders in the corner for a 3-pointer, sending BYU into the break with a 53-48 lead.
BYU opened the second half with a Saunders’ 3-pointer off another Dybantsa assist, followed by a driving reverse layup from Wright III. The Cougars quickly extended the surge when Wright III set up Davis Jr. for a wing triple and found Dybantsa for back-to-back 3-pointers. Dybantsa capped the stretch with a step-back three, closing a 14-2 run and forcing an Eastern Washington timeout with BYU ahead 67-52 less than three minutes into the half.
After the Eagles briefly halted the run, BYU answered with an 8-0 spurt sparked by Wright III and Saunders in transition. Davis Jr. and Dybantsa each connected from beyond the arc to extend the margin to 82-69.
Midway through the half, Wright III knocked down a 3-pointer, and Aleksej Kostic converted an and-one to make it 96-77 with 7:34 remaining. Dybantsa later reached the 30-point mark with a jumper from the elbow.
The Cougars got their first look at 2026 recruit Abdullah “Vito” Ahmed, a 6-foot-10 post player who joined the team last week. In nine minutes against Eastern Washington, Ahmed grabbed five rebounds, scored one point and added a block.
BYU opens Big 12 play on Saturday, Jan. 3, traveling to Manhattan, Kansas, for its first Big 12 conference matchup of the season against Kansas State. Tipoff is set for 11:30 a.m. MST at Bramlage Coliseum and will be televised on CBS.
