Jan 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars ahead AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts in the course of the first half in opposition to the Utah Utes at Marriott Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Aaron Baker-Imagn Photos A trio of proficient freshmen will probably be on show when No. 1 Arizona travels to No. 13 BYU for a pivotal Large 12 Convention showdown Monday in Provo, Utah.
The Wildcats (20-0, 7-0) smothered West Virginia 88-53 at residence on Saturday. Brayden Burries led 4 scorers in double figures with 22 factors. The freshman guard was final yr’s Gatorade Participant of the Yr in California, a five-star recruit and the No. 9 prospect within the nation, per 247Sports.
Mixed with main scorer Koa Peat (14.7 factors per sport), Burries (14.6 ppg) provides the Wildcats a pair of freshmen atop their scoring ledger. When the calendar flipped to 2026 and Large 12 play acquired into full swing, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd envisioned Burries additional acclimating to the faculty sport.
“I am not placing a ceiling on any of those guys,” Lloyd stated. “… Brayden is getting a variety of confidence. Brayden has wonderful instincts for a younger basketball participant. Now I believe he is layering that with some expertise the place possibly he understands what’s taking place earlier than it is coming a bit bit.
“That enables him to control sure conditions and he is responding to conditions within the sport versus reacting. That is pure progress for a younger participant. He is sort of in his candy spot. I felt like January can be an enormous month for him to make an enormous leap and it seems like he’s.”
Arizona has been the No. 1 workforce within the nation for seven weeks and it isn’t anticipated to vary when Monday’s new AP ballot arrives. The Wildcats common 89.8 ppg and solely enable 67.6. The 21-point scoring margin ranks fifth nationally.
Contemporary off a record-setting 91-78 residence win Saturday in opposition to Utah, its largest rival, BYU (17-2, 5-1) hosts one other large sport.
AJ Dybantsa set the BYU freshman scoring mark with 43 factors in opposition to Utah. A contender to be the No. 1 decide within the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa linked on 15 of 24 area purpose makes an attempt, drained 4 of 5 3-pointers and shot 9 of 10 from the free throw line. He rounded out his spectacular stat line with six rebounds and three assists.
Robert Wright III added 21 factors and Richie Saunders chipped in 12 factors, nevertheless it was Dybantsa that had everybody buzzing, together with coach Kevin Younger. Final Saturday, Dybantsa scored a season-low 13 factors in an 84-71 loss at then-No. 15 Texas Tech. It was an emphatic bounce-back sport for Dybantsa (23.6 ppg), the Cougars’ main scorer.
“I used to be impressed whereas he was doing it,” Younger stated. “In my thoughts, he is a particular participant. I’ve stated it quite a bit. I believe he’s, palms down, the clear-cut No. 1 decide within the upcoming NBA draft … The factor I like about it greater than something is it is coming off his worst efficiency of the yr. He wasn’t good at Texas Tech and he got here out unfazed and had a transparent wish to exit and dominate a sport.”
The groups cut up two video games final season, with every workforce successful on the opponent’s residence court docket. On Feb. 4, Arizona received 85-74, then just a few weeks later, BYU went to Tucson and escaped with a 96-95 victory.
–Area Stage Media
