AJ Dybantsa near-triple-double lifts No. 23 BYU past No. 6 Iowa State

Field Level MediaSun, February 22, 2026 at 6:15 AM UTC

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Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dunks during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images (Aaron Baker-Imagn Images)

AJ Dybantsa recorded 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead No. 23 BYU to a riveting 79-69 upset over No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday night in Big 12 play at Provo, Utah.

Kennard Davis Jr. scored 17 points for the Cougars (20-7, 8-6), who improved to 11-2 at home. Mihailo Boskovic added a career-best 13 points for BYU.

Tamin Lipsey scored 19 points and Jamarion Batemon added 14 off the bench for Iowa State (23-4, 10-4), which was coming off consecutive Top 10 wins over then-No. 9 Kansas and No. 2 Houston.

Joshua Jefferson added 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Cyclones.

It was BYU's second game since losing standout Richie Saunders to a career-ending ACL tear.

The Cougars shot 50% from the field, including 7 of 25 (28%) from 3-point range. BYU held a resounding 39-28 advantage on the boards.

The Cyclones connected on 42.6% of their attempts and a third of their shots from behind the arc (8 of 24) while leading for less than 4 1/2 minutes.

Lipsey drained a 3-pointer to pull the Cyclones within 57-54 with 7:21 left in the game.

BYU responded with a 10-1 burst. Dybantsa had six points during the run, including two free throws to make it 67-55 with 4:08 remaining.

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Davis buried a 3-pointer to give the Cougars a 70-57 lead with 3:33 remaining.

Iowa State scored the next six points to creep within seven before Boskovic nailed a corner trey to give BYU a 73-63 advantage with 1:30 left.

With the score 75-65, Lipsey drove for a basket with 1:01 left but Davis made two free throws with 46.7 seconds left to push the lead back to 10.

Keba Keita slammed home a thunderous dunk with 33.6 seconds left to punctuate the upset.

Dybantsa scored 14 first-half points as BYU led 39-30 at the break. Jefferson had seven points in the half for the Cyclones.

Iowa State led 25-24 after a trey by Jefferson with 6:34 left in the half.

BYU responded with nine straight points. Dybantsa hit a 3-pointer as the Cougars led 33-25 with 3:02 to play.

BYU later led by 12 before Batemon's late trey pulled Iowa State within nine.

--Field Level Media

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Source: “AOL Sports”