NCAA BASKETBALL: AJ Dybantsa, No. 6 BYU take aim at No. 11 Texas

PORTLAND, Ore. – Elite freshman AJ Dybantsa put BYU's No. 6 seed in perspective after the NCAA Tournament brackets were revealed Sunday.

"Obviously, going into the tournament, you wanted to be a higher seed," Dybantsa said. "But as long as you're dancing, that's all that really matters."

The Cougars (23-11) will begin Dybantsa's first—and potentially last—NCAA Tournament on Thursday when they face 11th-seeded Texas (19-14) in the West Region's first round.

Texas earned a quick turnaround after beating North Carolina State 68-66 on Tramon Mark’s 17-foot shot with 1.1 seconds remaining in the First Four on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. The Longhorns had led by nine with 2:58 left before the Wolfpack went on a 13-4 run to tie the game.

"I work on those shots all the time, so just routine for me," Mark said. "I got a great look at the rim, and it felt good."

Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward, has been doing that all season. He leads NCAA Division I in scoring at 25.3 points per game while also averaging 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa recently admitted he is still "on the fence" about his future, despite living up to the high expectations as the nation’s top recruit last year.

BYU’s tournament berth also brought back childhood memories for Dybantsa.

"I definitely grew up watching March Madness," he said. "I remember some of the notable upsets, some of the buzzer-beaters. It just feels good to be in that same situation and participate."

The Cougars opened the season 17-2 and reached No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll but have lost nine of their last 15 games. They are 4-5 since key contributor Richie Saunders (18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds per game) suffered a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 14 against Colorado.

BYU coach Kevin Young responded by simplifying schemes on both ends of the court, particularly on defense.

"When we just keep it simple and keep the main thing the main thing, we're better," Young said. "We stayed with it and got momentum at the right time."

The Cougars closed the regular season with a win over then-10th-ranked Texas Tech on March 7. They also posted double-digit victories over Kansas State and West Virginia in the Big 12 tournament before falling 73-66 to Houston in the quarterfinals.

"We definitely found our identity on the defensive side," said Dybantsa, who scored 93 points in the conference tournament.

Guard Robert Wright (18.2 points, 4.7 assists) complements the team, which averages 83.9 points per game and has a +4.1 rebound margin.

Texas dropped into the First Four after losing three straight games and five of six, including a 76-66 defeat to Ole Miss in the SEC tournament. The Longhorns bounced back behind reserve guard Chendall Weaver, who posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Mark’s late 17-footer secured a 68-66 win.

Seven-footer Matas Vokietatis added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Dailyn Swain contributed 13 points and eight rebounds. The Longhorns held a 45-33 rebounding edge.

"I have a lot of belief," Texas coach Sean Miller said. "Playing in the SEC, you have to be resilient. Those games prepare guys for matchups like today."

—Jack Magruder, Field Level Media/Reuters