Cougars conclude non-conference play on Monday

PROVO, Utah - No. 10 BYU concludes its four-game home stand and non-conference portion of its schedule when the Cougars host Eastern Washington at the Marriott Center. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT. 

WHERE TO WATCH
Monday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Dave McCann, Blaine Fowler and Spencer Linton on the call. 

FLY LIKE AN EAGLE
Monday will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs with all three of the previous meetings taking place at the Marriott Center in Provo. The Cougars are 3-0 all-time against the Eagles outscoring them by a combined 100 points in their previous meetings. 

In their last meeting on December 19, 2009, BYU defeated EWU 91-34 which is tied for the largest margin of victory in program history and highest against a NCAA Division I opponent. The 34 points are also tied for the sixth fewest points allowed in program history. 

Jimmer Fredette scored a game-high 20 points as the former Naismith Player of the Year went 7-of-14 from the field, 1-of-4 from three and 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Jackson Emery was also in double figures with 15 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. 

RAISING THEIR GAME
Monday will be the Cougars fifth and final Quad 4 game of the seasons as they rank in the 97th percentile in Net Rating (47.2), 95th in offensive rating (133.6) and 96th percentile in defensive rating (86.4) in Quad 3 and 4 games this season. They also rank in the 95th percentile in effective field goal percentage (61.7). 

SEEMS LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO START
Friday's 35-point performance marked the 12th straight game that AJ Dybantsa has scored 10 or more points to begin his career, tied for the fourth-longest streak in Big 12 history since 1997-98 with Kansas State's Michael Beasley. 

Season	Player, School	Streak
2017-18	Trae Young, Oklahoma	30
2006-07	Kevin Durant, Texas	30
2009-10	Alec Burks, Colorado	20
2025-26	AJ Dybantsa, BYU	12
2007-08	Michael Beasley, K-State	12
2009-10	Xavier Henry, Kansas	11
2025-26	Tounde Yessofou, Baylor	10
2020-21	Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State	10

HOOPIN' AT HOME
Richie Saunders has appeared in 21 of 22 home games since Kevin Young was named head coach as the senior is averaging 17.0 points per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from three and 79.5 percent from the free throw line. Entering Monday's game against Eastern Washington, Saunders has scored in double figures in 13 straight games including six games with 20 or more. 

In five games at the Marriott Center this season, the Riverton native is shooting 63.6 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from three and 83.3 percent from the charity stripe en route to averaging 22.0 points per game. 

TEACH 'EM HOW TO DYBANTSA
Can you name the last player to score 20 or more in five straight games before Dybantsa did it with his 35-point performance? Yes, Jimmer Fredette is a pretty solid guess as the John R. Wooden Awared winner actually scored 30-plus in the final five games of his collegiate career. 

literally not a star in heaven he can’t reach pic.twitter.com/Z1lOHk1y67

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) December 20, 2025

Over his past five games, Dybantsa is averaging 26.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 62.7 percent from the field, 77.1 percent from the free throw line. He has done all of that while making three of his 14 attempts from behind the arc. 

IF IT'S FREE, IT'S ME
Dybantsa's 17 makes from the free throw line on Friday are the third most in a single game in program history. He also became one of five players in program history to attempt 20 or more free throws. He is also the second freshman this season to make 17 freebies in a game this season.