PROVO, Utah – BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has been named an Associated Press First Team All-American, the outlet announced on Tuesday morning.
The nation’s leading scorer is joined on the First Team by Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Texas Tech’s J.T. Toppin.
Dybantsa becomes the fifth-ever freshman to earn AP First Team All-American honors after being named a Preseason All-American prior to the season as the 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 25.3 points per game heading into the NCAA Tournament.
The native of Brockton, Mass. has scored 859 points this season which are the third-most in a single season in program history, eight away from passing Devin Durrant for second. He is shooting 51.3 percent from the field, 34.0 percent from three and 76.4 percent from the free throw line.
He has scored in double figures in all 34 of his appearances including 27 20-point performances and seven 30-point performances. He has scored in 20-plus in 13 straight games heading into Thursday’s game which is the second-longest streak in program history.
Dybantsa broke one of his 16 freshman records in BYU’s 91-78 win on Jan. 24 at the Marriott Cetner where he scored 43 points going 15-of-24 from the field, 4-of-5 from 3-point range and 9-of-10 from the free throw line as the Cougars won their third straight over their rivals. In
BYU opens NCAA Tournament play on Thursday, March 19, when they play the winner of Texas and NC State. Tip is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. PT at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.