Imagine a highly touted freshman bursting onto the scene with an explosive performance in his very first college basketball outing—only for his team to come up agonizingly short. That's the heart-pounding story from BYU's exhibition game against Nebraska, where promise and frustration collided in a nail-biting 90-89 loss. But here's where it gets controversial: Was this just a rookie jitters moment for the Cougars' defense, or a sign that pre-season expectations might need a reality check? Stick around as we dive into the details, because this matchup revealed some surprises that could fuel debate among fans and experts alike.
In Provo's tight-knit basketball community, AJ Dybantsa was the talk of the town leading up to Saturday's unofficial college debut—a scrimmage-style exhibition at Nebraska's Pinnacle Bank Arena. And let me tell you, he delivered almost everything fans had dreamed of, racking up an impressive 30 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and even a block. For newcomers to college hoops, exhibition games are like warm-up matches before the real season starts; they're not official, but they give coaches a chance to test rosters and strategies against other teams. Dybantsa, a former top recruit and potential NBA lottery pick, was as advertised early on, showcasing his scoring prowess and defensive instincts in a way that had everyone buzzing.
Yet, the Cougars' defense? That's the part most people miss when they focus on the star power. It wasn't quite up to par, allowing Nebraska's Rienk Mast and Connor Essegian to combine for a staggering 51 points in their victory. Mast, a senior transfer from Bradley and the Netherlands, poured in 31 points on seven three-pointers, along with five rebounds and three assists. Essegian chipped in 20 points and three assists, while Price Sandfort added 12 points for the Huskers. Interestingly, Nebraska was projected to finish 14th out of 18 teams in the Big Ten by league media, making their performance against a Big 12 favorite even more noteworthy. And this is the part most people miss: Sometimes, the underdogs shine brightest in these exhibition settings, turning pre-season predictions on their head and sparking questions about whether BYU's highly touted roster is truly ready—or if Nebraska's coaching and shooting acumen stole the show.
On BYU's side, Khadim Mboup pulled down 11 rebounds to go with his 12 points, proving his value as a rebounding force. Richie Saunders and Aleksej Kostic each tallied 11 points, with Kostic adding three rebounds and three three-pointers in limited minutes. The game felt like a showcase for potential NBA draftees, with the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Mast impressing by going 11-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from beyond the arc in just 29 minutes. Even Dybantsa, who echoed his coach's sentiment, praised Mast's toughness, saying, 'He's tough... I would draft him first, too.' It raises a thought-provoking point: In an era where transfers and high-profile recruits dominate, does this even playing field in exhibitions challenge the idea that star power always wins, or does it highlight how team chemistry and adaptability can level the score?
The biggest disparity came from downtown, where BYU's outside shooting was solid, but Nebraska was downright spectacular, draining 16-of-34 threes to keep the home crowd in Lincoln roaring. BYU coach Kevin Young reflected on the experience post-game, noting how these early tests prepare his team for a packed real schedule. 'We want to test ourselves,' he said, drawing on his personal ties to Nebraska—his wife hails from Omaha, and he's familiar with the electric atmosphere. 'We got what we wanted out of it,' he added, emphasizing the learning value.
BYU's starting lineup blended old and new: veterans like Saunders and Keba Keita alongside freshmen such as Dybantsa, Baylor transfer point guard Rob Wright III, and Southern Illinois transfer Kennard 'Moo' Davis Jr. Dybantsa hit his stride quickly, scoring 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting in his first 13 minutes, including perfect free throws and grabbing four rebounds, three steals, and an assist. But Mast countered with five threes in the first half alone, en route to 19 points, giving Nebraska a six-point edge at one point.
Dybantsa's response? A pair of threes to end the half, coupled with Wright's eight points and five assists, fueling a Cougars' comeback. By halftime, Dybantsa had 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting (2-of-3 from three, perfect from the line), plus five rebounds, three steals, an assist, and a block. He admitted to some jitters in his debut but felt the team meshed well: 'Any time we lose, I set myself to a high standard... we've got to win for me to feel like it was a good game. But I think we played solid.' Wright's minutes were limited, as Young explained, due to restrictions—part of managing big-time transfers who might have eligibility nuances.
The coach revealed his game plan: evaluating starters, Wright's absence, Dybantsa with shooters, and defense. He was pleased with the exposure to a well-coached opponent. Both sides shot over 45% in the first half, but Nebraska heated up to 83.6% early in the second, pulling ahead 71-59. Their 7-of-14 threes in the frame, despite BYU's 37-34 rebounding edge, proved decisive.
Dybantsa sparked a 9-2 run to close the gap to 88-85 late, but after subbing out, BYU couldn't get closer than one point. Kostic's potential game-winner missed at the buzzer. Now, BYU heads home for another exhibition Friday against No. 25 North Carolina at 7 p.m. MDT in Salt Lake City's Delta Center, before their Nov. 3 opener versus Villanova in Las Vegas.
But here's where it gets controversial—did Nebraska's win expose flaws in BYU's defense that could haunt them later, or is this just the growing pains of a young squad with high expectations? Some might argue that exhibitions don't count, while others see them as previews of weaknesses. What do you think: Is Dybantsa's debut a harbinger of BYU's Big 12 dominance, or does Nebraska's upset prove that underdogs can disrupt the hype machine? Share your opinions in the comments—agree, disagree, or offer your own take on what this means for college basketball this season!
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
