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PROVO, Utah — AJ Dybantsa scored 43 points to break BYU's freshman scoring record, leading the No. 13 Cougars to a 91-78 victory over Utah on Saturday.
Dybantsa went 15 for 24 from the floor and 9 for 10 from the free throw line for his first 40-point game. He surpassed Danny Ainge's record for points in a game by a BYU freshman and added six rebounds, three assists and blocked a shot.
Rob Wright III finished with 21 points and Richie Saunders added 12 to help the Cougars (17-2, 5-1 Big 12) bounce back from an 84-71 loss to Texas Tech a week earlier. BYU shot 60% in the second half to pull away in its final test before facing No. 1 Arizona on Monday.
Keanu Dawes led Utah with 23 points and six rebounds. Terrence Brown chipped in 22 points and Dom McHenry added 16 for the Utes (9-11, 1-6), who shot 62% from 3-point range.
Dybantsa drove for a layup to cap a 14-3 run that gave BYU a 69-56 lead with 9:56 left. Saunders fueled the run with back-to-back layups and a pair of free throws over three straight possessions.
Dybantsa scored four baskets over five possessions — a dunk and three 3-pointers — to extend the Cougars' lead to 87-68 with 3:12 left.
McHenry had four baskets to fuel a 16-7 spurt that put Utah up 28-26 with 6:56 left in the first half. The Utes made seven straight baskets to erase a seven-point deficit after starting 0 for 7 from the field.
BYU scored on four of its final six possessions to take a 42-37 halftime lead. Dybantsa started and ended the run with baskets.
Utah: Hosts Oklahoma State on January 31st.
BYU: Hosts No. 1 Arizona on Monday.
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