Iowa State Vs Byu: iowa state vs byu — Dybantsa fuels BYU upset over No. 6 Iowa State
In a much-needed signature result, iowa state vs byu ended with BYU handing No. 6 Iowa State a 79-69 loss in Provo. The victory came the same day the committee released its top 16 seeds and listed Iowa State as the fourth #1 seed.
Iowa State Vs Byu game recap
BYU delivered a 79-69 home win over No. 6 Iowa State at Provo, answering the need for a résumé-boosting victory. The Cougars outscored Iowa State in the paint 40-22, won the rebound battle 38-29 and limited turnovers against the Cyclones’ pressure defense. BYU shot just 7-of-25 from three-point range (28%) but made enough plays across the floor to secure the result.
Dybantsa's all-40 performance
AJ Dybantsa played all 40 minutes and flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. His defense also stood out; Dybantsa chased Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic off screens and helped hold Momcilovic to 1-for-4 from three in the game.
Supporting scorers and rebounds
Rob Wright was quiet with just 6 points, while Kennard Davis paced the secondary scoring with 17 points, hitting 3 of 8 attempts from long range. Mihailo Boskovic made his second consecutive start and set a career high with 13 points. Off the bench, Khadim Mboup grabbed 10 rebounds, nine of those coming in the first half. BYU missed multiple open threes but compensated with interior scoring and boards.
Season context and preview notes
BYU improved to 20-7 on the season and will next host UCF on Tuesday night in Provo. The matchup followed a seven-point loss to #4 Arizona, a game in which BYU fought without Richie Saunders and relied heavily on AJ Dybantsa. Entering the game, BYU was once again viewed as the underdog and was seeking the elusive Quad 1A victory. Pre-game projections had listed a Saturday tipoff at 8: 30pm MT on, and a KenPom projection had favored Iowa State 79-78 with BYU given a 45% win probability.
Iowa State strengths and key players
Iowa State came into the matchup known for physical, aggressive defense and an explosive offense. The Cyclones were in play for a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. In Big 12 play they ranked #4 in KenPom offensive efficiency and #3 in defensive efficiency, were second in the conference in three-point shooting and fourth in two-point percentage, and averaged 39% from three as a team.
Milan Momcilovic was identified as the team's leading scorer at 18 points per game and described as the best three-point shooter in the country; he shoots more than seven threes per game at a 51% clip and is listed as a 6-foot-8 wing. Big man Joshua Jefferson, a 6-foot-9 point-forward type, averages 16. 5 points, 7. 5 rebounds and 5. 2 assists while shooting 38% from three; with Toppin’s injury, Jefferson and AJ Dybantsa were mentioned as the two most likely candidates for defensive player of the year.
Iowa State also excelled at offensive rebounding, ranked second in the conference in offensive rebound percentage by grabbing 36% of their misses. Their offensive vulnerabilities included turnover issues—12th in turnover percentage in Big 12 play—and poor free-throw shooting, last in the conference at 64%.
Defensively the Cyclones remained effective, still third in the Big 12 in turnover percentage and third in three-point defense, though they allowed the highest rate of three-point attempts in the league. Iowa State had been much stronger at home than on the road, going 3-3 in true road games in Big 12 play with road losses at Kansas, Cincinnati and TCU. They also lost their most recent home game 62-55 to TCU, a game that featured 17 turnovers and a 5-for-22 mark from three along with a 2-for-8 performance from the foul line.
Game specifics, individual lines and season context from both teams combined to frame the upset: BYU's balanced interior play and Dybantsa’s all-40 showing overcame shooting struggles from distance and toppled a highly seeded Iowa State side whose committee positioning was already noted earlier the same day.
Closing: BYU’s 79-69 win over No. 6 Iowa State in Provo provided the signature victory the program sought, moving BYU to 20-7 and setting up a Tuesday night home date with UCF.
