PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa scored a season-high 35 points to lead No. 10 BYU to an 85-67 victory over Abilene Christian on Friday night.
Dybantsa went 9 of 12 from the field and made 17 of 20 free throws in the first 30-point game of his college career. The freshman sensation also had six rebounds and four assists.
Richie Saunders added 21 points to help the Cougars (11-1) earn their eighth straight win. BYU shot 60% from the floor and finished
29 of 40 at the free-throw line.
Cbo Newton led Abilene Christian with 23 points. The Wildcats (7-5) lost to their second straight Big 12 opponent despite forcing 18 turnovers.
After the Cougars trailed much of the first half, Dybantsa took over after halftime. He scored BYU’s first five baskets in the period — highlighted by a thunderous dunk off a steal that gave his team a 54-42 lead.
Newton capped a 10-0 run with a basket off a steal that cut the deficit to 54-52. But that was as close as the Wildcats got.
BYU held Abilene Christian scoreless for nearly five minutes and made five straight buckets to extend its lead to 67-52 with 7:34 left.
Keba Keita sat out with an undisclosed illness and Khadim Mboup got his first career start for the Cougars. He grabbed 10 rebounds in 20 minutes. But without Keita in the middle, BYU struggled on offense early and committed 12 turnovers by halftime.
BYU didn’t take its first lead until Robert Wright III hit a corner 3-pointer to make it 19-17. The Cougars finally created a little breathing room when Dybantsa fueled a 7-0 spurt with a pair of baskets to put BYU up 40-33 with 1:23 left before halftime.
Abilene Christian visits Texas Southern on Monday.
BYU hosts Eastern Washington on Monday.
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