Dybantsa's Debut Lifts No. 8 BYU Over Villanova

Freshman AJ Dybantsa scored 21 points with six rebounds and three assists in his college debut to lead No. 8 BYU to a 71-66 season-opening win over Villanova in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas, delivering 13 second-half points and key baskets down the stretch. Richie Saunders added 15 points and seven rebounds (extending his made free-throw streak to 29) and Robert Wright III had 14, while BYU’s care with the ball — four turnovers to Villanova’s 11, which BYU converted into 17 points — proved decisive. Bryce Lindsay led Villanova off the bench with 22 points in the regular-season debut of new coach Kevin Willard, and the Wildcats mounted a second-half rally that briefly gave them the lead before BYU answered with a late run. The victory extended BYU’s regular-season win streak to nine games despite the Cougars shooting roughly 35% from the field, highlighting a need for more consistent scoring from established players as BYU heads into a challenging early schedule.