No. 8 BYU basketball's 'unique' fan base meet Cougars halfway in heralded freshman's debut

LAS VEGAS — Kevin Willard probably planned for and schemed plenty as the first-year Villanova coach with some 18 years of college basketball experience prepared for the Wildcats' season opener against No. 8 BYU.

He expected a big game from former top recruit AJ Dybantsa, who was as advertised — "the real deal" with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in his collegiate debut.

He had plenty of film on top returning scorer Richie Saunders, who overcame illness to finish with 15 points; and Keba Keita, the do-it-all spark plug who had 8 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in a 71-66 win.

But one thing opposing coaches don't expect from the Cougars until they see it themselves is the sixth man — and that was on full display inside T-Mobile Arena.

"That was a road game," Willard quipped.

Indeed, when the Cougars (1-0) needed a pick-me-up the most, they counted on the massive waves of blue raining down familiar "B-Y-U! B-Y-U!" chants from the 16,704 or so inside the home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights.

Robert Wright III had 14 points and three rebounds in his first official game since transferring from Baylor, where he played against the blue-clad mafia that approaches each BYU road game like a religious experience.

Coaches still prepare teams, and players have to make plays, but BYU's rabid fan base had a tangible impact and met the Cougars halfway on their first step of what most hope to be a lengthy journey.

"It was really crazy," Wright said of the atmosphere, "especially in the second half when they picked it up. We needed some big stops, and I think they definitely helped us get some energy and get some stops at the end."

Unique in all of college basketball, added head coach Kevin Young, the second-year college basketball coach who took the Cougars to the Sweet 16 in his first season and assembled an Associated Press top 10 preseason team for the first time in BYU's program history.

But not necessarily for the overall size of those road crowds, he noted.

"Everybody thinks BYU travels well," Young said. "But there are BYU fans in every city. We feel it, for sure, when we go on the road — obviously out west, we feel it even more.

"I feel like we have a home-court advantage in a lot of places outside the Marriott Center," he added.

Indeed, when the Cougars needed a lift, they got it from the Sixth Man. Leading 42-32 after Kennard "Moo" Davis Jr. drained a corner 3-pointer to beat the halftime buzzer, BYU stretched its lead as high as 14 just over two minutes into the second half.

Then came the comeback, led by Villanova's Bryce Lindsay. The former James Madison star who canned 87 triples a year ago for the Dukes seemingly couldn't miss, pouring in a game-high 22 points, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range.

Lindsay tied the game at 53-all with one 3-pointer, and moments later gave the Wildcats (0-1) a 56-55 edge with 8:05 remaining.

But the lead didn't last long, a 1:26 spurt of game time that disappeared under a voluminous wall of energy from fans wearing BYU blue, and perhaps a few Big 12-supporting Arizona comrades who stuck around after their own team's 93-87 win over reigning champion Florida.

Even Arizona's Tommy Lloyd watched from the the corner of the arena floor. Everyone, it seemed, wanted a glimpse of Dybantsa.

What they got was an up-close introduction to Cougar nation — a group that has waited for the type of talent on the team it supports for a long time, perhaps as long as ever. Tougher games will come after a 5-point win over a middle-of-the-pack Big East program with history.

The hope, of course, is that that willy likely rely heavily on a freshman and sophomore newcomer can grow with the schedule. And their fans will be with them every step of the way — home or away.

"Obviously, we have BYU fans everywhere. They show support," Dybantsa said. "It was damn near a home game for us. I'm grateful for the fans here and the Mormon community for showing us the support."

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