AJ Dybantsa posts 30 points in preseason debut as Cougars lose to Nebraska 89-90

It's official: you don't have to wonder what BYU basketball looks like with AJ Dybantsa anymore. He led the Cougars in their first exhibition action earlier today in Lincoln, Nebraska. Despite some prominent injuries and an ever-rotating door of experimental lineups, BYU's new star lived up to the hype.

Dybantsa delivered 30 points in his first game under head coach Kevin Young, and he flexed every offensive muscle in his heinously diverse repertoire. Three-pointers, mid-range, and finishing hard at the rim were regular occurrences for the future lottery pick against the Cornhuskers.

His final stat line? You should shield the eyes of any young and impressionable children in your vicinity -- this is pure filth and cannot be a good influence.

AJ Dybantsa preseason stats vs Nebraska

30 points
10-19 field goals
2-4 three-pointers
8-8 free throws
7 rebounds
3 assists
3 steals
1 block

AJ already plays basketball like an NBA superstar, getting to the foul line for an extra helping of points whenever possible, or just punching it through himself. BYU has never seen an athlete like Dybantsa suit up for their squad, and his debut performance should only add fuel to the fire for the most highly-anticipated season in BYU history.

5-star transfer point guard from Baylor, Rob Wright, got in on the action a bit himself despite only playing in the first half of this one, dropping eight points and five assists in his short time on the floor. He penetrates the defense as good as anyone in the country, and piled on the pain at the foul line, hitting four-for-four from the stripe (shoutout to Wendy's).

Even Khadim Mboup, a recruit from the NBA's African BAL league, was recruited to BYU in 2024, but is seeing his first action with the program now in 2025. He had 12 points and 11 boards in his floor time, and could be a secret weapon for the Cougars if he can continue to see playing time during the regular season.

BYU lost this basketball game, 89-90, on the road against the Cornhuskers. At a glance, that could be a concerning sign for the season, but take this result with a grain of salt. Specifically as players like Nate Pickens, Dawson Baker, Brody Kozlowski, and Tyler Mrus were all absent from this one, staying out of the contest out of caution while nursing injuries.

Don't read too much into the result, as Kevin Young was using a bench lineup for a large portion of the second half against Nebraska's starting lineup. Illustrating this point, the final possession saw shots from Jared McGregor and Andre Kostic -- don't expect to see that when the final results matter.

But that's not to say nothing from this preseason diorama was valuable for coaches and observers -- there was plenty to take away from this game. First of all, the Cougars' defense needs some fine-tuning, as they allowed 15 three-pointers from the Cornhuskers in a war flashback of the Sweet 16 loss to Alabama. BYU has to defend the perimeter. Period. That didn't get done in this one. That'll have to improve before squaring off against Villanova, UConn, Wisconsin, and the like.

But hey, we finally got to see the top-10 BYU basketball team take the floor, and that should be a positive no matter how the Holy War football game pans out later today.