PROVO, Utah — Eleventh-ranked BYU is now into the thick of Big 12 Conference play, having earned a hard-fought victory over TCU at home Wednesday night behind a star trio who once again shined in the win.
AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders, and Robert Wright III accounted for 58 of the 76 points in the win over the Horned Frogs. Most importantly, each stepped up when the team needed them most throughout the game.
"Richie, AJ, Rob get a lot of attention for good reason, but they’re just very smart," BYU coach Kevin Young said. "They’re smart players. They know how to play the game. They know how to play together, and I think every night they’re growing their chemistry."
Dybansta dropped 25, leading all scorers, and he fought through illness, according to Young postgame.
"Even on an off night, the guy still looks like an all-world guy, a generational type guy. Even when he’s sick," the coach said.
Even as BYU trailed at halftime and dealt with foul trouble, it found a way when it mattered most.
"It shows that we can win in different ways," Saunders said. "Some season lows in different categories, but also some really good stuff with the offensive rebounding. 21 on boards is huge. That is how you win games like that."
"It was a gut-check type win for our group," Young explained. "It felt like anything that could go wrong would go wrong. It felt like our whole team had four fouls. (I) thought AJ was going to die out there, and they just found a way to make plays."
Up next for BYU is a trip to Lubbock to take on No. 15 Texas Tech on Saturday night.
