No. 10 BYU welcomes Abilene Christian to Marriott Center for first-ever meeting

PROVO, Utah - No. 10 BYU looks to extend its non-conference home win streak to 25 games when the Cougars host Abilene Christian at the Marriott Center for the first time on Friday, Dec. 19. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.

WHERE TO WATCH
Friday's game will be broadcast on TNT with Brian Anderson, Grant Hill and Andy Katz on the call. This is the first TNT broadcast to originate from the Marriott Center.

WELCOME TO THE MARRIOTT (CENTER), HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY
Friday will be the first all-time meeting between the two schools as Abilene Christian made the move to NCAA Division I in 2013. Prior to that, the Wildcat athletic department won a total of 64 national titles at the Divsion II and NAIA levels, 61 of those coming on the track or cross country course. 

The Wildcats are one of four schools that BYU has played or will play for a first time this season, joining Holy Cross, Delaware and Cal Baptist. 

THE TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING ALONG
With its 93-57 win over Pacific on Tuesday evening, BYU improved to 17-3 under second-year head coach Kevin Young when ranked in the Top 25. They also improved to 12-2 when ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll. 

Speaking of the AP Poll, BYU is ranked in the Top 10 for a 31st time in program history, including seven straight weeks this season, which is the second-longest streak in program history. They were ranked in the Top 10 eight straight weeks in 2011, going as high as third on February 28. 

THE HYPE IS REAL
AJ Dybantsa is on a historic run, as the freshman is the only NCAA Division I men's basketball player in the past 30 years with a four-game span with 90+ points, 30+ rebounds, 20+ assists, shooting 60.0 percent or better on 60+ field goal attempts and zero fouls in 100+ minutes. 

In last 30 yrs, only one DI player has had, over his full career (same span or not),

a 4-gm span w/ 90+ pts
a 4-gm span w/ 30+ reb
a 4-gm span w/ 20+ ast
a 4-gm span w/ 60% FG on 60+ FGA
a 4-gm span w/ 0 fouls in 100+ min

That man is AJ Dybantsa. He did it all the last 4 games. pic.twitter.com/jvIri00KJH

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) December 17, 2025

The 6-foot-9 forward has already scored 20-plus six times, including four straight games, becoming the first Cougar to do that since Tyler Haws in January 2015. Those six 20-point performances are the fifth-most by a freshman in program history, trailing Danny Ainge (18), Shawn Bradley (11), Mark Bigelow (9) and Fred Roberts (8). 

The native of Brockton, Mass. became the first freshman since Fousseyni Traore on Feb. 26, 2022 to have a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double. He is also shooting 55.6 percent from the field, the fourth-highest percentage by a freshman in program history (50 field goals made). 

HOME IS WHERE THE MAKES ARE
With his team-high 24 points on Tuesday, Richie Saunders has now scored in double figures in 12 straight home games dating back to last season. During that stretch, BYU is 11-1 and the senior is averaging 18.0 points per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field, 47.5 percent from three and 84.3 percent from the free throw line. 

In four home contests this season, Saunders has scored 20 or more three times, including a 26-point performance against Delaware where he knocked down a program-record six 3-pointers in the second half. He enters Friday's contest against Abilene Christian averaging 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 64.4 percent from the field, 59.1 percent from three and 81.8 percent from the charity stripe. 

HOW THE GRINCH WHO STOLE THE BALL
The Cougars have double digit steals in four of their past five games. They had 11 of their season-high 13 steals in the first half in their last game against Pacific, en route to their sixth straight win. It was also the third time in the Young era to have 13 or more steals. 

Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III had a career-high five steals apiece in the win over the Tigers, making BYU one of four schools this season with multiple players with five or more steals in the same game, joining McNeese State, SMU and Southern Miss. 

PLAY WITHOUT FOULING
BYU ranks first in the Big 12 and 10th in the nation in fouls per game, as the Cougars are only whistled for 13.9 fouls per game. Visiting teams have only shot a total of seven free throws over the past two games, with Pacific going 0-of-3 from the charity stripe, marking the first time since Feb. 8, 2018 that BYU's opponent did not make a free throw. 

The Cougars shot a season-high 88.9 percent from the charity stripe in the win over the Tigers, with Richie Saunders going 11-of-12. 

ONE LAST THOUGHT
BYU scored over 50 points in the second half for the sixth time this season in Tuesday's win over Pacific. The Cardiac Cougars own the nation's second best net rating (42.9) after halftime, according to CBB Analytics. They also own the third-highest offensive rating (138.8) and fifth-highest effective field goal percentage (63.9 percent).