Dybantsa broke Kevin Durant's record for most points by a freshman in a Big 12 Tournament game.


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BYU's AJ Dybantsa had a Big 12 Tournament debut to remember on Tuesday during his team's 105-91 win over Kansas State. Dybantsa, a potential candidate to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, scored 40 points to help No. 10 seed BYU advance to face No. 7 seed West Virginia on Wednesday.

Dybantsa's 40 points broke a record previously held by former Texas star Kevin Durant for the most points scored by a freshman in a Big 12 Tournament game. Durant's previous record (37 points) came against Kansas in the 2007 Big 12 title game.

Dybantsa was just four points shy of breaking the record for the most points in a single game in the history of the Big 12 Tournament -- regardless of class -- held by former Texas Tech player Mike Singletary. Dybantsa now has two games with at least 40 points this season.

During BYU's win over Kansas State, the team also broke the record for the most points scored as a team in the history of the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas held the tournament record for 24 years after scoring 102 points in the quarterfinals against Colorado in 2002.

Dybantsa got his teammates involved early and often. With BYU point guard Robert Wright III logging just eight minutes in the second half, Dybantsa served as the primary initiator, especially in fastbreak situations. He recorded nine rebounds, six assists and three steals to add to his standout night.

The nation's leading scorer (24.7 points per game), Dybantsa has been asked to carry even more of the offensive load over the last month since star guard Richie Saunders suffered a season-ending ACL tear. He has at least 20 points and five rebounds in 11 consecutive games, which is the longest streak by a Division I freshman since former Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony did it during the 2002-03 campaign.

Could we get a rematch between Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson?
One of the most anticipated games in recent memory took place earlier this season when Kansas hosted BYU. The hype centered on a matchup between the top two projected picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa and Peterson are expected to be the first two players selected this summer, in either order.

The game somewhat lived up to the billing. Peterson stole the show in the first half and validated why he could go No. 1 this summer by scoring 18 points before the break. However, Peterson left due to cramping and did not return after playing just three minutes in the second half.

Dybantsa scored 17 points on 6-of-12 from the field, but it was Saunders' hot shooting that kept the game close. Saunders finished with a game-high 33 points and knocked down six 3-pointers.

So, what has to happen to get a rematch in the Big 12 Tournament? It's complicated. BYU has to beat No. 7 seed West Virginia and then beat No. 2 seed Houston to advance to the semifinals on Friday. As for Kansas, the Jayhawks received a double-bye as the No. 3 seed and would play either No. 14 seed Oklahoma State, No. 11 seed Colorado, or No. 6 seed TCU in the quarterfinals.

If Kansas wins one game and BYU wins its next two, college basketball fans would get a rematch between Peterson and Dybantsa. Peterson has been available for each of Kansas' last seven games after missing 11 games total due to hamstring/cramping issues.

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