Wright, Dybantsa combine for 66 as No. 22 BYU snaps 4-game slide with win over Baylor

PROVO — Rob Wright III made plenty of good memories at Foster Pavilion, where he averaged 11.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game en route to Big 12 All-Freshman honors last year for the Bears.

He made a few more Tuesday night.

Wright scored a career-high 30 points with four rebounds and three assists; and freshman teammate AJ Dybantsa poured in 36 points, five rebounds and seven assists as No. 22 BYU snapped a four-game losing skid with a 99-94 win over the Bears at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas.

It's the first time BYU has had two players with 30 points in the same game since Jan. 14, 1984, when Devin Durrant and Brett Applegate combined for 66 in a 113-105 win over Utah.

And for Wright, it came in a place he knows well — though the Bears' roster was completely overturned since he started 21 of 35 games and shot 41.4% from the field.

The most familiar thing may have been the chants from the crowd, including drawn-out "Traitor" as he was introduced in BYU's starting lineup. Again, all to be expected, he said.

"That was definitely what I expected," he said after the game. "I remember when we played LJ (Cryer, former Baylor transfer to Houston) last year when he got here, so I was kind of expecting that. But I think I handled it pretty well."

Richie Saunders added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Cougars (18-6, 6-5 Big 12).

Tounde Yessoufou totaled a game-high 37 points, six rebounds and three assists to lead Baylor (13-11, 3-9 Big 12), which cooled off after shooting 75% from the field in the early minutes of the game.

Cameron Carr added 24 points and eight rebounds for the Bears, and Caden Powell supplied 13 points and five rebounds against a BYU team that outscored the hosts 64-40 in the paint and scored 24 points off 13 turnovers.

Eventually, the Cougars' 11th-ranked adjusted offense in KenPom found its rhythm. But first, BYU's 49th-rated adjusted defense traveled to central Texas.

Yessoufou had 18 points, and Baylor connected on five of its first six 3-pointer attempts and 6-of-10 in the first half to lead by as much as 12 with 8:32 remaining.

"Unfortunately for us, it feels like every night someone is having a career night," BYU coach Kevin Young said. "But Yessoufou was incredible; he got going, and for our guys to be able to withstand that and have the determination to flat-out get a win, I'm proud of them for that."

But Dybantsa totaled 18 points and three assists before the break, and Wright added 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in the Baylor transfer guard's return to Waco to end the half on a 20-8 run and tie the game at 41-41.

Dybantsa dropped the hammer to open the half, and BYU used a 13-2 run to take a 56-50 lead less than six minutes after the locker-room break. The Cougars led by as much as 17 when Dybantsa drained a pair of free throws with 4:18 remaining.

Yessoufou pulled up for his fifth 3-pointer of the game to cap a 10-2 run and pull Baylor back within single digits with 1:44 left to play. Williams' jumper cut the deficit as low as five with 49 seconds remaining.

But BYU held on for its first win since Jan. 26.

The Cougars return home Saturday to host Colorado (2 p.m. MST, FS1) on an afternoon that will include the retirement of former BYU star Jimmer Fredette's No. 32 jersey.

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