Iowa State Vs Byu: Dybantsa Fuels No. 23 BYU’s 79-69 Upset of No. 6 Iowa State in Provo

In the latest iowa state vs byu meeting, No. 23 BYU delivered a 79-69 home victory over No. 6 Iowa State in Provo, a signature win the Cougars sought for morale and the resume. The result matters now after the committee released its top 16 seeds earlier in the day, with Iowa State listed as the fourth No. 1 seed.

Iowa State Vs Byu: Dybantsa’s near triple-double and full 40 minutes

Freshman AJ Dybantsa paced BYU with a game-high 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, falling one shy of a triple-double while playing the full 40 minutes. He also provided on-ball defense that limited Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic to 1-for-4 from three; that defensive work was credited with disrupting Momcilovic off screens throughout the night.

Game flow: early ties, a 15-5 first-half close and decisive second-half surge

The two teams exchanged leads early and the first half featured four lead changes. BYU opened a six-point advantage just under the 10-minute mark, and Iowa State answered to knot the score. The Cyclones tied it at 22 with eight minutes remaining in the first half on a Heise three, then took what would be their final lead at the 6: 34 mark on a Joshua Jefferson three. BYU closed the half on a 15-5 run to lead by nine at intermission and extended that margin to 13 by the first media timeout of the second half.

Iowa State mounted a comeback beginning at 13: 49 of the second half with a 16-8 run that trimmed the deficit to 57-54 with 7: 21 left. A live-ball turnover on Iowa State yielded a Dybantsa dunk, and a quick 6-0 BYU spurt soon after reasserted control. The Cougars led by as many as 13 down the stretch and finished with a 79-69 victory.

Cyclones first-half struggles: outrebounded 22-14 and outscored 22-6 in the paint

Iowa State’s first half was uncharacteristic: the Cyclones were outrebounded 22-14 and were outscored 22-6 in the paint before halftime. They forced only four turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, a shortfall that contributed to the halftime deficit in a hostile Provo environment. That sequence proved difficult to overcome for a team chasing its third straight victory over ranked opposition.

Supporting performances: BYU depth and Cyclone leaders

Beyond Dybantsa, BYU got 17 points from Kennard Davis, who was 3-for-8 from three, and a career-high 13 points from Mihailo Boskovic in his second consecutive start. Khadim Mboup provided a physical presence off the bench with 10 rebounds, nine of them coming in the first half. Rob Wright III also logged all 40 minutes but finished with just six points.

For Iowa State, Tamin Lipsey led the Cyclones with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. Joshua Jefferson posted 13 points, eight boards and seven assists, while Jamarion Batemon sparked a comeback off the bench with 14 points and went 4-for-5 from the free-throw line.

Shooting, possessions and the margin: rebounds, threes and turnovers

BYU won the rebound battle 38-29 and outscored Iowa State 40-22 in the paint. The Cougars missed a number of open perimeter looks, connecting on just 7-of-25 three-pointers (28%). BYU also limited turnovers against Iowa State’s pressure. Iowa State shot 33% from three for the game.

Seeding context and what’s next for both teams

The committee released its top 16 seeds earlier in the day, listing Iowa State as the fourth No. 1 seed; that context amplified the significance of the upset for BYU. What makes this notable is the timing: a marquee win arrived the same day bracket positioning was revealed, potentially affecting late resume discussions for both programs.

Records shown after the game stood at 23-4 overall and 10-4 in Big 12 play for Iowa State, and 20-7 overall and 8-6 in conference for BYU. BYU moves to 20-7 on the season and is scheduled to host UCF on Tuesday night in Provo. Iowa State will complete its Beehive State trip on Tuesday, Feb. 24, when it faces Utah at 8: 00 p. m. CT, a game that will be televised on FS1.

The iowa state vs byu result leaves both teams with immediate tasks: BYU to build on a resume-boosting win and Iowa State to rebound on the road before its next matchup in the Beehive State.