Deck the Halls: Dybantsa's triple double secures No. 10 BYU's win in nonconference finale

PROVO — Perhaps AJ Dybantsa's biggest play of his short collegiate career (so far) at BYU was a pass.

With two minutes remaining in a double-digit win over a Big Sky foe, Dybantsa found teammate Mihailo Boskovic; and the Serbian international understood the assignment, swishing a 3-pointer that gave the Cougars a 26-point lead en route to their 12th win.

With the dish, Dybantsa secured his first career triple-double, pouring in 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the 10th-ranked Cougars cruised to a 109-81 win over Eastern Washington in Monday night's nonconference finale at the Marriott Center.

He's the first BYU player with a triple-double since Kyle Collinsworth accomplished the same feat March 16, 2016, against UAB. Collinsworth, who went on to win WCC Player of the Year before spending time with the Dallas Mavericks and overseas in Japan, was a 20-something senior and returned missionary.

Dybantsa is still a teenager, albeit one who many project could be the No. 1 pick in next summer's NBA draft. He's still got time to grow, even after becoming the youngest player with a 30-point triple-double in NCAA men's basketball history.

"He's aggressive, No. 1. He's really starting to understand how aggressive he can be," said BYU coach Kevin Young of his superstar who shot 11-of-13 from the field, 2-of-3 from deep, and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. "College basketball by nature is physical, and his ability to get by his man, people put hands on him — and he can get to the line a lot.

"And for the most part, they were playing one-on-one coverage, so he was able to do that and then find guys."

Richie Saunders added 22 points, two assists and three steals for the Cougars (12-1), who shot better than 64% from the field in the second half.

The duo are the first set of BYU teammates to score more than 20 points in three consecutive games since Tyler Haws and Brandon Davies in March 2013. Robert Wright III had 17 points and seven assists, and Kennard "Moo" Davis Jr. scored 17 for the Cougars.

Kiree Huie had 17 points to lead Eastern Washington (2-11).

But one more thing about Dybantsa? He didn't even have to address the media after the game as he hurried to the locker room to change before he caught a flight home to Boston with his father, Ace, for the holidays.

"Great talent, great player," Wright said. "That's crazy."

And an even better person, the former Baylor guard later added.

"I've known AJ for a long time; he's a great person," Wright said. "He's been like a brother to me. He got all of us gifts (for Christmas); we're grateful for him."

Abdullah Ahmed made his debut six minutes into the half, coming off the bench to pull down four rebounds with a block in four minutes.

The 6-foot-10 center from Cairo, Egypt, who spent two years with the NBA G League's Westchester Knicks, opened up space for Dybantsa to get rolling, too.

The five-star freshman threw down a dunk in transition, rolled to the rim from the left corner, and shot 9-of-11 from the free-throw line en route to 21 points, four assists, four rebounds and a steal before the break.

The pre-holiday crowd erupted when Dybantsa went up from the key, pulled a loose ball off the backboard, and threw it down with 3:55 left in the half.

But the Cougars needed every one of them against the 2-10 Eagles, who shot 52% from the field with eight 3-pointers before Saunders hit back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 53-48 halftime advantage.

Alton Hamilton IV had 9 points, five rebounds and four assists to lead Eastern Washington at the break.

The Eagles kept coming, letting the ball fly from deep, from the paint, and from the corner.

So did the Cougars, though.

Saunders topped 20 points seven minutes into the second half. Dybantsa topped 30 with five minutes remaining.

BYU opened the half shooting better than 70% until well past the midway mark.

After opening with four power conference opponents in their first six games, the Cougars wrapped up their fourth-straight — and final — Quad 4 opponent with a 28-point win.

In two weeks, it'll get real enough in a Big 12 Conference where six teams rank in the top 25 of the NET rankings, 10 in the top 60, and all but two (No. 107 Cincinnati, No. 133 Utah) in the top 100.

The Cougars open conference play next Saturday, Jan. 3 at Kansas State (11:30 a.m. MST, CBS).

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