BYU envisioned success with AJ Dybantsa. It ended with early March Madness exit
AJ Dybantsa was expected to take BYU to new heights, but the once promising season ended in the first round of NCAA Tournament.
PORTLAND, OR — In the middle of the Men's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup between No. 6 seed BYU and No. 11 Texas, Longhorns coach Sean Miller was asked on the CBS broadcast how to stop Cougars star AJ Dybantsa .
“We can’t,” Miller said. Unable to stop one of the best players in the game, but Texas did the next best thing: outplay the rest of BYU. REQUIRED READING: March Madness live scores: Upsets, close calls, highlights from NCAA first round The first March Madness for Dybantsa was short-and-sweet — not the kind he hoped for.
Despite another stellar outing from the freshman phenom, BYU was upset by Texas 79-71 to end what was supposed to be a promising campaign. “As far as the season, it's tough dealing with that type of adversity. But I'd rather do it with nobody else,” Dybantsa said.
Dybantsa had a game-high 35 points and 10 rebounds in what is all but officially his final college basketball game, playing in a building — the Moda Center — in which he will likely play at the next level. “Thought there were moments in tonight's game where he just looked like that Portland Trailblazer floor should have been down there,” said BYU coach Kevin Young. “Just look like an NBA player, the stuff he's able to do on the court.