Nov 16, 2025, 6:18 AM UTC
BYU travelled across the country to a UConn-dominant crowd and nearly completed a 20-point second half comeback in a 86-84 loss to #3 UConn. UConn went ahead 59-39 with under 15 minutes to go before AJ Dybantsa took over and showed why he could be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft. After a dismal first half from AJ where he couldn’t get comfortable offensively, he showed his wide array of offensive moves and led a comeback that put UConn on its heels. BYU had the ball down three with under 20 seconds to go, but Rob Wright dribbled the ball off his leg and UConn held on.
This was a loss for BYU, but if moral victories are a thing this was certainly that. Keba Keita played only eight minutes after taking a shoulder to the jaw and Kennard Davis was out due to a “violation of team rules”, but BYU fought through and showed that they have Final Four potential against a UConn team that will compete for a national championship.
AJ Dybantsa led all scorers with 25 points, Richie Saunders had 17 points, Rob Wright scored 16, and Dawson Baker came off the bench to score 16 points. For the second consecutive game, BYU’s offense came alive in the second half. BYU scored 52 points in the second half and 32 in the first.
Below are some of my takeaways and observations from the game.
* **Yeah, AJ Dybantsa is special.** Everyone knows AJ is elite and will be a top pick in next year’s draft. But man, that second half performance was special to witness. UConn will be one of the best defensive teams in college basketball and have multiple long wings they threw at AJ. In the first half, AJ was overwhelmed and looked like he was trying to do to much. UConn was able to run up there lead while AJ was struggling. In the last 15 minutes of the second half, the light came on for AJ and he was unguardable on offense and caused havoc on defense. AJ’s full bag of offensive skill was on display and he looked like the best scorer in college basketball. All of that was impressive and the highlights from the game had some unbelievable shots from AJ. What impresses me even more though is AJ’s mentality and how he has performed on the biggest stages in this young season. When Villanova took a second half lead on BYU, AJ took over the game and came up with multiple key buckets. When it looked like UConn was going to blow BYU out, AJ took over and nearly willed BYU all the way back. There are absurdly talented wings in the NBA, but not all of them have the mindset to be truly special. AJ’s mentality could be the separator which makes him a generational talent.
* **Keba Keita is the backbone of BYU’s defense.** BYU’s defense showed some real fight during the second half comeback, and BYU I think found some real lineup combinations that they can use moving forward. Despite that, UConn still shot 57% from the floor and make shots in key situations. Keba Keita played just 8 minutes, and his absence undoubtedly hurt BYU’s defense. His rim protection and rebounding obviously jump out, but his communication on the backline of BYU’s defense was sorely missing. Keba is a four-year player and calls out a lot of the switches and protections. BYU had some lapses in missing guys once Keba went out, and I attribute much of that to inexperienced five men Xavion Staton and Khadim Mboup playing heavy minutes. Both of them played well and had their moments, but the two freshmen don’t have the same defensive IQ that Keba has. BYU showed they can still play at a high level without Keba, but BYU will need him healthy this season to reach their highest potential.
* **Questions and intrigue remain around the bench.** BYU had to dip deeper into their bench without Kennard Davis and Keba Keita. Dawson Baker had his best game of the year with 12 points and a clutch three with under a minute left to bring BYU within two points. Xavion Staton was a pleasant surprise and showed promise in his 8 minutes, and even Dominque Diomande’s 4 minutes came at a pivotal time and showed his defensive versatility. Tyler Mrus finally hit his first shot of the year with a corner three before the half, and he was on the floor during BYU’s comeback and provided additional floor spacing for AJ to operate. Dawson Baker will have a defined role as BYU’s sixth man and main scorer off the bench to provide additional shooting and lift some of the burden off BYU’s big three. Khadim Mboup is young, but his athleticism and motor will give him good minutes all year. The rest of the bench has shown promise but may vary on a night to night basis depending on matchups.
* **BYU is better prepared early on than they were last season.** If you remember last season, BYU got boat raced by a mediocre Providence team in early December and started Big 12 play 2-4 before hitting their stride in late January. BYU played one of the weakest non-conference schedules in college basketball and Kevin Young partially attributed that to BYU’s slow start in Big 12 play. That is certainly not the case this year. BYU played two power conference teams in the exhibition season, started the year with Villanova, and now just completed a nearly de-facto road game against the #3 team in the nation. BYU has played well and this early season experience will set themselves up well for the remainder of the year. BYU has quality non-conference games coming up versus #24 Wisconsin, Miami, Georgetown/Dayton, and Clemson in NYC.
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