PROVO, Utah – The accolades continue to roll in for BYU’s AJ Dybantsa as the 6-foot-9 freshman was named a First Team All-American by NABC and USBWA on Wednesday morning.
Dybantsa is one of three players in program history to earn multiple First Team All-American honors joining Jimmer Fredette and Danny Ainge.
The Brockton, Mass. native has scored in double figures in all 34 games of his collegiate career and will enter the NCAA Tournament leading the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per game. 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 20 points 27 times this season including 20-plus in 13 straight games which is the second-longest streak in program history. He owns the freshman single-game scoring record after finishing with 43 points in BYU’s 91-78 win over rival Utah on Jan. 24 at the Marriott Center.
Dybantsa was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 25.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in league play. He also recorded a pair of double-doubles highlighted by a 20-point, 13-rebound performance in the Cougars overtime victory over Colorado on Valentine’s Day.
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.