BYU's Dybantsa scores freshman tournament-record 40 points in win over Kansas State

Superstar freshman AJ Dybantsa breaks Kevin Durant's Big 12 tournament scoring record for a freshman in BYU's 105-91 victory.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 3:22am

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BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa scored a freshman tournament-record 40 points, breaking Kevin Durant's previous mark, to lead the Cougars to a 105-91 win over Kansas State in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Dybantsa added 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in the dominant performance, which was one of the greatest individual showings in Big 12 tournament history.

Why it matters

Dybantsa's record-breaking performance came a day after he was snubbed for Big 12 Player of the Year honors, providing extra motivation for the superstar freshman. BYU's win over Kansas State also sets up a matchup with No. 7 seed West Virginia in the next round of the tournament.

The details

Dybantsa scored 40 points on 15-of-21 shooting, including 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. He made a number of highlight-reel plays that had the pro-BYU crowd in Kansas City in awe. BYU as a team scored 105 points, a Big 12 tournament record. The Cougars pulled away in the second half after a back-and-forth first half.

  • BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa broke the Big 12 tournament scoring record for a freshman, previously held by Kevin Durant.
  • BYU scored 105 points, the most ever in a Big 12 tournament game.

The players

AJ Dybantsa

A superstar freshman for BYU who scored a tournament-record 40 points in the win over Kansas State.

Kevin Young

The head coach of the BYU Cougars, who praised Dybantsa's dominant and complete performance.

Rob Wright III

A BYU player who made a key 3-point play and steal late in the first half to help the Cougars take the lead.

Aleksej Kostic

A BYU player who hit a pair of 3-pointers to help the Cougars pull away in the second half.

Kennard Davis Jr.

A BYU player who also hit a pair of 3-pointers to extend the Cougars' lead in the second half.

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What they’re saying

“What he was doing was super impressive, because I thought he was scoring every way possible. He was scoring in the post. He was scoring in transition. He was scoring in pick-and-roll. He was scoring in isolations, coming off some pin-downs, making good passes out of the post, making good passes out of the pick-and-roll.”

— Kevin Young, BYU Head Coach

“This is the best league in the world for college basketball and for him to recognize my talents and feel like I should be up there with the best players in the country, it means a lot. But I mean today I was trying to focus on winning.”

— AJ Dybantsa

“Definitely, Red Bull gives you wings, for sure.”

— AJ Dybantsa

What’s next

BYU will face No. 7 seed West Virginia in the next round of the Big 12 tournament. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. MDT on ESPN2.

The takeaway

Dybantsa's record-breaking performance cemented his status as one of the most talented players in college basketball, even after being snubbed for the Big 12 Player of the Year award. BYU's ability to rally around its superstar freshman and get contributions from role players like Kostic, Davis, and Mboup bodes well for the Cougars' chances of making a deep tournament run.