03/10/26 08:18:00
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03/10 20:14 CDT AJ Dybantsa scores 40 as No. 10 seed BYU beats Kansas State
105-91 in the Big 12 Tournament
AJ Dybantsa scores 40 as No. 10 seed BYU beats Kansas State 105-91 in the Big
12 Tournament
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) --- AJ Dybantsa had 40 points, nine rebounds and six
assists, and No. 10 seed BYU use a big second-half run to break open a close
game with No. 15 seed Kansas State and roll to a 105-91 victory in the first
round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.
Robert Wright III added 14 points and six assists, and Kennard Davis Jr. had 15
points for the Cougars (22-10), who set a single-game tournament scoring record
while advancing to play seventh-seeded West Virginia on Wednesday night.
P.J. Haggerty matched Dybantsa into the second half and finished with 27 points
for the Wildcats (12-20), who played their final game for interim coach Matthew
Driscoll, who had taken control of the program after the firing of Jerome Tang
last month.
Nate Johnson had 19 points for Kansas State. Khamari McGriff finished with 13.
The fact that BYU was playing at all Tuesday night was somewhat surprising.
Dybantsa could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft this year. Wright has been a
star in his own right. At one point early in the season, the Cougars were
ranked seventh in the AP Top 25 and living up to the lofty expectations of
their expensive lineup.
But things went sideways beginning with a four-game skid in January and
February, and floor leader Richie Saunders was lost for the rest of the season
to a torn ACL. The Cougars lost three of their last four games, and tiebreakers
put them at the No. 10 seed.
They jumped out to a quick lead Tuesday night, though, as Haggerty and Dybantsa
began to duel. And while they led just 50-49 at the break, the Cougars went on
a 17-2 run beginning with about 9 1/2 minutes to play that allowed them to pull
away.
Up next
The Cougars march on to face West Virginia, which beat them 79-71 a couple of
weeks ago.
Kansas State turns its focus toward hiring its next permanent coach.
___
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