TUCSON, Ariz. — Despite a late rally, No. 23 BYU fell 75-68 to No. 4 Arizona on Wednesday evening at the McKale Center in Tucson.
After trailing by 16 with 5:25 remaining, Kennard Davis Jr. and AJ Dybantsa sparked a comeback, fueling an 8-0 run and following it with a 7-0 surge less than a minute later.
AJ Dybantsa led both teams with 35 points, marking his sixth career 30-point game and setting the program’s all-time freshman scoring record, surpassing Danny Ainge’s 48-year-old mark. The freshman went 13-of-28 from the field, and his 28 shot attempts set a second freshman record for most field-goal attempts in a season. Dybantsa added seven rebounds, two assists and went 7-of-8 from behind the charity shot line.
Robert Wright III and Davis Jr. combined for 23 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. It marked the seventh time this season that Davis Jr. has reached double figures this season.
First Half
The Wildcats scored first on a Brayden Burries 3-pointer. Wright III and Dybantsa responded with a 6-1 run, before another Arizona 3-pointer tied the game at 6. Dybantsa then scored four straight points to give BYU a 10-8 lead heading into a media timeout with 13:55 remaining.
Coming out of the break, Arizona opened with a jumper, but BYU answered with a strong bench sequence. Aleksej Kostic hit a jumper, and Khadim Mboup followed by stealing the ball and throwing down a dunk to keep the Cougars up four. Turnovers and fouls became an issue for BYU, allowing Arizona to score eight-straight points.
Mboup steal. Mboup slam.
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 19, 2026
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/9EITYoMoIK
Wright III tied the game at 21 with BYU’s first 3-pointer of the night at 8:07. Less than three minutes later, the teams traded shots from deep as Arizona hit two straight 3-pointers before Wright III knocked down another.
Keba Keita tipped in Kostic’s shot, and 31 seconds later, Dybantsa drew a foul and made two free throws. Arizona responded with another 3-pointer, then forced a turnover on BYU’s next possession and converted a fast-break layup to take a six-point lead with 42 seconds left in the half.
Dybantsa drew another foul late and made both free throws, but with 0.8 seconds remaining, Anthony Dell’Orso hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer off an inbounds pass to give the Wildcats a 42-35 lead at halftime.
Second Half
The teams traded baskets to open the second half, but Arizona used a 7-2 run sparked by a 3-pointer, a dunk and a second-chance bucket to take its largest lead of the game at 53-43 with 13:39 remaining.
Dybantsa ended BYU’s field-goal drought of more than three minutes with a layup. The teams continued to exchange scores, but Arizona extended its advantage to a game-high 15 points. Dybantsa remained BYU’s leading scorer, adding another layup.
Both teams struggled with turnovers for more than two minutes before Dell’Orso knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the game. Dybantsa answered with BYU’s first 3-pointer of the half, but Arizona responded with another on the next possession to maintain a 16-point lead.
Keita hit a jumper, and Wright grabbed a defensive rebound and found Davis Jr., who knocked down a shot-fake 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 11. Arizona led 69-58 at the media timeout with less than four minutes remaining.
Davis Jr. was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws to make it an eight-point game. Arizona answered with four points in 17 seconds, forcing a BYU timeout with 2:30 left.
Keita tipped in a shot, and BYU forced a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play. Dybantsa capitalized with a 3-pointer off a Davis Jr. assist to cut the deficit to seven with two minutes remaining.
AJ. THREE.
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 19, 2026
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/1B2fQbt8cv
Davis Jr. added a layup after a steal, but fouls and turnovers stalled BYU’s comeback attempt in a 75-68 loss.
Up Next
BYU will return home Saturday, Feb. 18 for a matchup against the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones at 7 p.m. MST. Watch broadcast live on ESPN or listen to live play-by-play with Greg Wrubell on BYU Radio.