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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa celebrates in the final moments of the game after defeating Iowa State during an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Provo, Utah.

Tyler Tate, AP Photo

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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa dunks during the second half an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Provo, Utah.

Tyler Tate, AP Photo

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BYU forward Mihailo Boskovic hangs from the rim after a dunk during the first half an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Provo, Utah.

Tyler Tate, AP Photo

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BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dunks during the first half an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Provo, Utah.

Tyler Tate, AP Photo

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BYU finally got that elusive Top 10 win missing from its NCAA resume.

All it took was 40 dominating minutes from freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa and for his teammates to hit some open shots.

Dybantsa put on a show with 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists against one of the country’s top defenses in a 79-69 victory against No. 6 Iowa State, a team that was forecasted as a No. 1 NCAA seed earlier in the day.

“I work out and try to stay in shape,” said Dybantsa said. “If I need to play 40 minutes to win, I’ll play 40 minutes a game. We’ve been neck and neck, losing by single digits to UConn, Arizona, Houston, all these Top 5, Top 10 teams. We knew we were right there and it was just a matter of time until we collectively brought it together and got a dub.”

After a brilliant first half, the Cougars led 39-30 and pushed that advantage to 13 points, 47-34, on a Dybantsa offensive rebound basket with 16:39 to play. The Cyclones turned up the heat defensively and forced somebody other than Dybantsa to make shots. BYU struggled to find scoring and the visitors cut the deficit to three, 57-54, on a Tamin Lipsey 3-pointer with just over six minutes to play.

Dybantsa scored on a drive then fed Kennard Davis Jr. for a dunk and BYU extended its lead to 61-54. It was still a seven-point advantage when officials ruled a ball going out of bounds with 1:40 to play belonged to Iowa State. Young challenged the call and the play was reversed, giving the ball back to BYU.

Dybantsa drove, drew most of the Cyclone defenders and pushed the ball in the corner to Mihailo Boskovic, who sank a 3-pointer for a 73-63 lead with 1:20 to play.

“I thought it (his team’s fight) was phenomenal,” BYU head coach Kevin Young said. “It says a lot about the guys in the locker room. No one really batted an eye. They understand we’ve faced a lot of adversity and no one’s blinked. They’ve stayed together and kept working.

“In terms of the fight, you have to have the fight, clearly, and then the belief behind the fight is where our guys are at right now.”

Davis scored 17 points (3 of 8 from distance) and Boskovic added a career-best 13. The Cougars finished at 50% (29-58) from the field but just 28% (7 of 25) from the 3-point line, misses that prevented Dybantsa from his second career triple double.

“There’s a lot to be said about opportunity and confidence, right?” Young said. “Those guys understand that with Richie (Saunders) out now that their number is going to get called more. It’s a little bit of mental … I don’t want to say clarity, but just a deep breath, ‘Ok, I don’t have to press as much because I know the ball is going to come to me more.'”

BYU also won the rebound battle (39-28) and dominated points in the paint 40-22.

Lipsey topped Iowa State (23-4 overall, 10-4 Big 12) with 19 points, Jamarion Batemon had 14 off the bench and Joshua Jefferson contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Milan Momcilovic, who averages 18 points per game and is one of the most accurate 3-point shooters in the country, got into foul trouble and scored five points on 1 of 4 from distance, with Dybantsa playing a large part in defending him.

The Cougars led 18-12 in the first half after a 9-0 run, two baskets and assist for a hoop by Dynantsa followed by a 3-pointer from Davis. Iowa State re-took the lead at 25-24 when Jefferson popped a 3-pointer with 6:26 to play but the Cougars responded with a 15-2 burst to lead by 12. Batemon nailed a 3-pointer for Iowa State but BYU still led 39-30 at the break, Dybantsa delivering 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in the first half.

“We got stops, that’s really it,” Young said. “Our defense has been a little up and down but we felt our defense allowed us to get out in transition. Their half court defense is as good as it get in the country. We wanted to open the game the best we could, and you can’t do that without stops and rebounds.”

BYU (20-7, 8-6) will host UCF in the Marriott Center on Tuesday, a 9 p.m. MT tip on ESPN2.