KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The No. 9 Cougars rallied in the second half to survive the Flyers, 83-79, fueled by strong performances from Richie Saunders, Robert Wright III and AJ Dybantsa, winning the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational at State Farm Field House on Friday night.
In the first half, BYU committed 10 turnovers and shot 33.3 percent from the field, falling behind by six at halftime. Dayton made eight 3-pointers in the opening half, hitting 42.1 percent from deep.
“They took it to us to start the game. We were on our heels al little bit but ultimately we were not being smart," head coach Kevin Young said.I" thought Robert (Wright III) was much better along with AJ (Dybantsa). We wanted to play fast but they sped us up. We changed our defensive coverages and that put them in mud a little bit. That is what helped us get that spread then withstand the run at the end.”
After halftime, the Cougars went on their longest run of the season, a 15-0 stretch led by Dybantsa. Although BYU eventually built a 13-point lead, the Flyers mounted a late comeback, tying the game with four minutes remaining. The Cougars held on, going 7-of-11 from behind the arc in the second half, led by Saunders’ four triples
Saunders earned Most Valuable accolades after tallying a season-high 29 points, going 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from three in the second half. The senior also recorded eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. He made two late free throws to seal the win, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Wright III was dominant, finishing with 23 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals. It was the second time this season Wright III has scored 20 or more points, and the third of his career.
With the win, the Cougars captured the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational.
First Half
The Flyers opened the game on a 5-0 run with a layup and a 3-pointer. Wright III found Kennard Davis Jr. for a 3-ball, but another Dayton layup and a dunk from Amael L’Etang put the Flyers in front, 9-3, just over three minutes in.
After the Cougars missed four consecutive field goals going into the first media timeout, Wright III and Saunders combined for an 11-3 run to knot the score at 15. The Baylor transfer knocked down a pair of mid-range shots on back-to-back possessions, then found his senior teammate for two-straight 3-pointers.
Turnovers started to impact the Cougars’ rhythm, resulting in two consecutive threes from Flyer Javon Bennett.
After a six-minute field goal drought for BYU, Dybantsa hit an in-the-paint jumper that tied it up at 22 with 7:19 on the clock. Dayton responded with an 11-2 run to go up nine.
Field-goal opportunities were scarce in the final four minutes, as Wright III led BYU with four points. Saunders made two free throws to close the quarter, leaving the Flyers ahead 36-30.
Second Half
Dayton opened the second half with the ball and hit a three to regain its nine-point lead. Despite the deficit, the Cougars kick-started a 15-0 run, powered by Dybantsa and Keita. After a pair of layups from Saunders and Dybantsa, Wright III drained a three. Almost one minute later, Keita scored on a second-chance opportunity to tie it at 39. Saunders stopped the Flyers’ next possession with a takeaway and the senior found freshman teammate Dybantsa for his first 3-ball of the night. Keita followed with a steal and converted on an and-one basket on the fast break, giving BYU a 45-39 lead with 16:24 remaining.
big man lookin smooth
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 29, 2025
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Led by Wright III and Saunders, the Cougars went on an 11-2 run. The sophomore found the Riverton, Utah product on back-to-back possessions, first for a fast-break basket, then for a 3-pointer. After a Flyer layup, Wright III replied with two-straight layups on a 4-0 personal spurt to push the advantage to 56-43.
The Flyers built momentum with a 7-0 run. On BYU’s next two possessions, Dybantsa answered with a contested dunk and later added a layup to hold an eight-point advantage halfway through the second frame.
Following a media timeout, Saunders made a driving layup, but turnovers continued to plague the Cougars, keeping them off the scoreboard for nearly four minutes. Dayton didn’t face the same struggles, going on a 7-0 run to tie it at 67.
Three-pointers defined the final 3:25 of the game, as Wright III knocked one down from the top of the key, starting a stretch of long-range scoring. Dayton made one of its own on the next possession, but Saunders replied with a step-back three that he was fouled on for a four-point play. The Flyers hit another 3-pointer on their next trip, but Saunders kept it a four-point game with a 3-pointer off an assist from Dybantsa.
UNFAZED.
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 29, 2025
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The Cougars grabbed the defensive rebound on the next possession, and Dybantsa hit a turnaround jumper to push the lead to six with just over a minute remaining. Dayton responded with a 3-pointer to cut it to three. Dybantsa added a late basket, and after the Flyers made three free throws on their next trip, Saunders was fouled with one second left and sank both shots, sealing an 83-79 championship victory at the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational.
Up Next
The Cougars return to Utah for a matchup against Cal Baptist on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MST. Watch broadcast live on ESPN+ or listen to live play-by-play with Greg Wrubell on BYU Radio.