Iowa State Vs Byu: Dybantsa Fuels No. 23 BYU's Upset of No. 6 Iowa State in Provo

Iowa State Vs Byu settled into a signature result for BYU on Saturday night, as the Cougars delivered a 79-69 home win over No. 6 Iowa State in Provo. BYU had been searching for a morale-boosting resume victory, and the showing came the same day the committee released its top 16 seeds, with Iowa State listed as the fourth #1 seed.

Iowa State Vs Byu: Dybantsa's 40-minute masterclass

AJ Dybantsa played all 40 minutes, nearly recording a triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. His defense was singled out for its impact; Dybantsa chased Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic off screens much of the night, contributing to a 1-for-4 three-point outing for Momcilovic, described in the preview as the best shooter in the country.

Supporting cast, rotation notes and box-score details

Rob Wright was limited to 6 points, while Kennard Davis provided the second-biggest scoring lift with 17 points on 3-of-8 shooting from three. Mihailo Boskovic made his second consecutive start and posted a career-high 13 points. Off the bench, Khadim Mboup grabbed 10 rebounds, nine of those coming in the first half.

Team performance: shots, boards and defense

BYU missed many open three-point attempts, converting just 7-of-25 (28%). The Cougars controlled the glass, winning the rebound battle 38-29, and limited turnovers against Iowa State’s pressure defense. BYU held Iowa State to 33% shooting from three and outscored the Cyclones in the paint 40-22.

Preview context and build-up to the matchup

The matchup followed a seven-point loss by BYU to #4 Arizona; BYU returned to Provo to host #6 Iowa State after that defeat. The preview noted BYU struggled without Richie Saunders in the Arizona game and leaned heavily on AJ Dybantsa offensively. BYU entered the game as underdogs and was seeking an elusive Quad 1A win versus the Cyclones. The preview listed the tipoff as Saturday at 8: 30 p. m. MT on.

Iowa State profile and season traits from the preview

The preview characterized Iowa State as a team in play for a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, with a reputation for physical, aggressive defense while being more explosive offensively this year. In Big 12 play the Cyclones were ranked #4 in conference KenPom offensive efficiency and #3 in defensive efficiency.

• Iowa State’s shooting: listed as #2 in Big 12 three-point shooting and #4 in two-point percentage, with a team three-point rate of 39%. Milan Momcilovic was identified as the leading scorer and a high-volume, highly efficient three-point threat, shooting over seven threes per game at a 51% clip.
• Frontcourt and playmaking: Joshua Jefferson was described as a unique defensive matchup and a point-forward who averages over 5 assists per game while contributing points and rebounds. With Toppin’s injury, Jefferson and AJ Dybantsa were named among the top candidates for defensive player of the year in the preview, and Jefferson was called arguably the best passing big man in the country.
• Rebounding and vulnerabilities: Iowa State was noted as second in the conference in offensive rebound percentage, rebounding 36% of misses. Offensive vulnerabilities cited were turnover and free-throw issues—ranked 12th in turnover percentage in Big 12 play and last in free-throw percentage at 64%.
• Defensive profile: the Cyclones remained strong in forcing turnovers (preview listed them #3 in the Big 12 in turnover percentage), rebounding well, not fouling much, and ranking #3 in three-point defense, while surrendering the highest rate of three-point attempts in the league.
• Home/road splits and recent form: Iowa State’s strong home-court advantage contrasted with a 3-3 true road record in Big 12 play, including road losses at Kansas, Cincinnati and TCU. The preview noted Iowa State’s most recent home loss was 62-55 to TCU, a game in which they committed 17 turnovers and shot 5-of-22 from three and 2-of-8 from the foul line.

Player snapshots carried forward from the preview

Joshua Jefferson was profiled as a 6-foot-9 forward and All-American candidate averaging 16. 5 points, 7. 5 rebounds and 5. 2 assists while shooting 38% from three. Milan Momcilovic was listed as a 6-foot-8 wing who led Iowa State in scoring at 18 points per game and was characterized as the best three-point shooter in the country.

BYU moves to 20-7 on the season with this victory and next hosts UCF on Tuesday night in Provo. The committee’s placement of Iowa State as the fourth #1 seed and the season context laid out in the preview both underscore the significance of BYU’s home win for morale and its tournament resume.