AJ Dybantsa continues to bring video game-like performances to the BYU basketball team.
The No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft scored an easy 43 points on 15-for-24 shooting as the 13th-ranked Cougars defeated Utah State 91-78 on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.
advertise
DiBanza’s 43 points set a single-game scoring record for a BYU freshman. According to Fox Broadcasting, this is also the most points scored by a Big 12 player in a single game this season.
“There are no weaknesses,” former UConn forward and Fox Sports analyst Donnie Marshall said on the network’s postgame show about DiBanza’s overall game and performance against Utah State.
Must read: March Madness Bubble Watch: Who should start worrying about the NCAA Tournament?
The 6-foot-9 forward showed everything he had in the game, finding success in and around the paint, including from beyond the arc, where he went 3-for-4 from 3-point range. He also has six career rebounds and three assists.
advertise
DiBanza scored 24 of his 43 points in the second half, including the dagger to the Cougars’ fifth conference victory of the season: a powerhouse dunk that sent the court into a frenzy with 2:33 left in regulation.
“I don’t know. I was hot from the beginning, to be honest. I hit a lot of my usual shots, so I felt like it was going to be a good day,” DiBanza told Fox Sports’ Casey Jacobson after the game.
He was one of three freshmen to score at least 40 points on Saturday, joining Illinois’ Keaton Wagler (46 points, vs. No. 4 Purdue) and Houston’s Kingston Flemings (42 points, vs. No. 12 Texas Tech).
Here’s a closer look at DiBanza’s game against the Utah Jazz:
advertise
Must read: Minnesota’s Nico Medved speaks after Minneapolis shooting: ‘It’s all heartbreaking’
AJ Dybantsa’s stats vs. Utah State
Here are DiBanza’s numbers from Saturday’s game against Utah State:
-
Free throw percentage: 9 out of 10
AJ Dybantsa’s great game against Utah
Here are some highlights from DiBanza’s career night against the Utes in the Holy War:
The USA TODAY app lets you quickly get to the heart of the news. Download award-winning reporting, crossword puzzles, audio stories, e-newspapers and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa sets freshman record with strong performance against Utah