PROVO, Utah — With AJ Dybantsa recording the first triple-double of his career, No. 10 BYU pulled away in the second half to defeat Eastern Washington 109-81 on Monday evening at the Marriott Center.
BYU seized control early in the second half, opening the period on a 14-2 run to extend its halftime lead and never looked back. The Cougars scored 56 points after the break, shooting 60.5 percent in the second half to stretch the margin to as many as 28.
Dybantsa finished with 33 points on 11-of-13 shooting, adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 85 percent from the field. The freshman became the first Cougar to record a triple-double since Kyle Collinsworth on March 16, 2016 against UAB.
Richie Saunders added 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including four 3-pointers, while Kennard Davis Jr. contributed 17 points behind a career-high five 3-pointers. Robert Wright III chipped in 17 points and seven assists as BYU placed five players in double figures.
The Cougars shot 53.5 percent from the field and knocked down 16 3-pointers, while outscoring Eastern Washington 26-0 in points off turnovers and winning the rebounding battle 42-31.
First Half
BYU set the tone early as Dybantsa broke down the defense and kicked to Saunders in the corner, where Saunders was fouled and went 3-for-3 at the free-throw line. Eastern Washington answered with a layup, but Dybantsa responded by drawing contact on consecutive possessions and converting at the stripe to keep the Cougars in front.
The teams traded baskets through the opening minutes before Dybantsa made an impact on both ends, coming up with a steal and finishing a fast-break dunk. After an Eagles 3-pointer, Davis Jr. found Robert Wright III for a triple to steady BYU.
Eastern Washington briefly regained the lead, but Dybantsa answered with a contested jumper from the elbow and followed by setting up Davis Jr. for a 3-pointer. Back-to-back triples from Davis Jr. and Tyler Mrus, both off Dybantsa assists, capped a 6-0 BYU run and gave the Cougars a 20-18 advantage at the 12:16 media timeout.
BYU continued to build momentum behind second-chance opportunities as Keba Keita converted a putback and Saunders added an and-one following a steal. Wright III later knocked down a 3-pointer off a Mihailo Boskovic assist to keep the Cougars in control.
In the final minutes, BYU’s activity on the glass turned into points as Dybantsa tracked down an offensive rebound and threw down a putback tip-in dunk to push the Cougars in front, 40-35. Eastern Washington answered from deep on the next trip, but BYU continued to apply pressure.
AJ PUTBACK DUNK 😳
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) December 23, 2025
📺ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Y9UW56MDaa
Dybantsa and Saunders powered the closing stretch, combining for 35 points in the opening half while repeatedly getting to the free-throw line. Dybantsa closed the half by finding Saunders in the corner for a 3-pointer, sending BYU into the break with a 53-48 lead.
Second Half
BYU opened the second half with purpose as Saunders knocked down a 3-pointer off an Dybantsa assist, followed by a driving reverse layup from Wright III. The Cougars quickly extended the surge when Wright III set up Davis Jr. for a wing triple and found Dybantsa for back-to-back 3-pointers. Dybantsa capped the stretch with a step-back three, closing a 14-2 run and forcing an Eastern Washington timeout with BYU ahead 67-52 less than three minutes into the half.
After the Eagles briefly halted the run, BYU answered with an 8-0 spurt sparked by Wright III and Saunders in transition. Davis Jr. and Dybantsa each connected from beyond the arc to extend the margin to 82-69.
The Cougars continued to apply pressure as Wright III finished at the rim and Dybantsa followed with a one-handed dunk to push the lead to 86-69. Khadim Mboup added energy on both ends with consecutive dunks off feeds from Dybantsa and Wright III to further separate BYU.
Midway through the half, Wright III knocked down a 3-pointer, and Aleksej Kostic converted an and-one to make it 96-77 with 7:34 remaining. Dybantsa later reached the 30-point mark with a jumper from the elbow, finishing the night shooting 85 percent from the field.
AJ DYBANTSA
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) December 23, 2025
33 PTS
10 REB
10 AST
2 STL pic.twitter.com/VFYDCLMRxv
The freshman completed the first triple-double of his career with a steal and assist late in the half, totaling 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. BYU closed on a 9-0 run, capped by a fast-break layup from Mboup, to secure the 109-81 victory.
Up Next
BYU opens Big 12 play on Saturday, Jan. 3, traveling to Manhattan, Kansas, for its first Big 12 conference matchup of the season against Kansas State. Tipoff is set for 11:30 a.m. MST at Bramlage Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on CBS, with live audio available on BYU Radio and live stats online.