AJ Dybantsa Steals the Show with Jaw-Dropping Dunk as No. 10 BYU Powers Past Abilene Christian
Let’s be honest - this December matchup between No. 10 BYU and Abilene Christian wasn’t exactly circled on the national calendar. But thanks to AJ Dybantsa, fans inside the Marriott Center got more than just a win - they got a moment.
The freshman phenom dropped a career-high 35 points in BYU’s 85-67 victory, but it was one play - one absolutely electric, gravity-defying play - that turned a routine game into something unforgettable.
With just under two minutes left in the first half and BYU clinging to a 37-33 lead, Robert Wright III launched a three-pointer from the left wing. The shot missed, but Dybantsa, who had started his approach from nearly 40 feet out, timed the bounce perfectly. He soared through the lane, rose over the back of ACU’s Cbo Newton, snatched the ball midair with one hand, and hammered it home in one fluid, thunderous motion.
The ESPN play-by-play log called it a “0-foot tip-in dunk,” but that’s like calling a Ferrari a “nice car.” This was a moment. One of those “I was there” dunks.
The crowd erupted. Teammates lost their minds.
Mahailo Boskovic ran back on defense with both hands on his head in disbelief. BYU football coach Kalani Sitake, sitting courtside, jumped to his feet, cheering like he’d just seen a game-winner.
Even a nearby reporter couldn’t help but let out a stunned “Ohhh!” - the kind of reaction that doesn’t need a press credential.
And somewhere, LeBron James - who embraced Dybantsa just the night before following the Jazz-Lakers game in Salt Lake - was probably watching that clip on loop.
Asked about the dunk postgame, Dybantsa didn’t shy away from the moment.
“That’s probably the best putback I’ve had, other than the one I had last year at Utah Prep,” he said. “If y’all seen that one, it was kind of similar. But this was probably top seven.”
Top seven? That’s the kind of confidence you love to hear from a kid who just put a highlight on national television.
And yes, it did make ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 - checking in at No. 2.
Even BYU head coach Kevin Young, typically stoic on the sideline, couldn’t help but react.
“I’ll be honest, I’m pretty stoic over there when cool stuff happens, just because you’re thinking about the next play,” Young said. “I feel like I’ve seen a lot of plays in my life, but I did react to that one.
That was insane. I can’t wait to watch it on film, but what a gifted player, man.
That was unbelievable.”
A Gritty Win Behind the Flash
Beyond the highlight reel, this was a game BYU had to grind through. The Cougars came in as heavy favorites, especially with ACU still licking its wounds from a 96-62 loss to No.
1 Arizona. But BYU was missing starting center Keba Keita (illness), and it showed early.
Abilene Christian’s physical, scrappy defense disrupted the Cougars’ rhythm. The Wildcats racked up 30 fouls in 40 minutes, and BYU spent a good chunk of the night at the free throw line - hitting 29 of 40 attempts.
“We kind of let these guys speed us up without playing off two feet in the paint,” Young said. “We were driving into crowds, begging for the ball and not cutting. I was frustrated with the guys a little bit in the first half but I think they adjusted.”
Adjusted they did. After trailing for over 11 minutes in the first half - including a 17-11 deficit midway through - BYU found its footing. Boskovic buried a buzzer-beating three to send the Cougars into halftime up 43-35.
Dybantsa came out firing in the second half, scoring 10 of BYU’s first 11 points, including a breakaway two-handed jam that pushed the lead to 54-42. ACU responded with a 10-0 run to close the gap to two, but BYU countered with a 13-0 burst of their own, capped by a Richie Saunders dunk that made it 67-52 with under eight minutes to go. From there, the Cougars never looked back.
Dybantsa Dominates Again
Dybantsa’s 35-point night came on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and a stellar 17-of-20 from the free throw line. He added six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block - a stat-stuffing performance that underscored just how complete his game is becoming.
“I feel like they were being kind of handsy and stuff like that,” Dybantsa said. “I wasn’t able to just get to wherever I wanted. So I just tried to take advantage of them putting their hand in the cookie jar.”
Saunders chipped in 21 points and three steals, while Khadim Mboup - stepping in for Keita - delivered six points, ten rebounds, and three blocks in his first start. BYU shot 60% from the field, including a blistering 65% in the second half, which helped offset a season-high 18 turnovers.
Coach Young wasn’t thrilled with how his team handled the pressure early, but he knows this kind of test will pay off down the road.
“Their free throw turnover rate is sixth-best in the country, so that’s what they do,” Young said. “I was disappointed because everything we said they were going to do, they did.
We took the bait in the first ten minutes. Second ten minutes of the game, I thought we had better ball toughness.
It was good, though, because Iowa State is going to do the same thing. Houston is going to do the same thing.
Our guys have to get used to playing against that type of pressure.”
Looking Ahead
ACU’s Cbo Newton led all Wildcats with 23 points, and Bradyn Hubbard added 12, but the visitors couldn’t keep pace once BYU found its rhythm.
Now 11-1 on the season, BYU wraps up its non-conference slate on Monday at home against Eastern Washington. But no matter what happens next, the fans who packed into the Marriott Center on Friday night will walk away with a memory - one that came courtesy of AJ Dybantsa, a freshman already building a highlight reel worthy of the big stage.