AJ Dybansta and Robert Wright III silence Baylor boos with 30-point performance as No. 22 BYU ends four-game losing streak
Homecoming heroics - The transfer guard delivered a career-high 30 points while being booed throughout his return to Waco, combining with AJ Dybantsa's 36 points to power the Cougars to a crucial 99-94 victory over Baylor and snap their longest skid under coach Kevin Young.
Feb 10, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives to the basket past Baylor Bears guard Obi Agbim (5) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Freshman showcase delivers historic performance
The boos started during pregame introductions and continued nearly every time Robert Wright III touched the ball. But the BYU guard had the last word, delivering a career-high 30 points in his return to Waco as the 22nd-ranked Cougars defeated Baylor 99-94 on Tuesday night, ending a four-game losing streak that had dropped them 13 spots in the AP Top 25.
Wright, who backed out on an agreement to return to the Bears after his freshman season, faced a hostile Foster Pavilion crowd that chanted « traitor » throughout the game. The 20-year-old from Wilmington, Delaware, who holds Baylor’s freshman records for assists in a season and a game, handled the reception with composure.
AJ Dybantsa got 🆙
(🎥: @Big12Conference)pic.twitter.com/xHnJhbGQea
— theScore (@theScore) February 11, 2026
« I remember when we played L.J. last year and what he got here, so I was kind of expecting that, » Wright said, referring to L.J. Cryer’s return to Waco with Houston last season. « But I think I handled it pretty well. »
Wright’s 30 points came on 12-of-21 shooting, marking the first time a BYU duo had scored 30 or more points each in a game since January 4, 1983, when Devin Durrant (34) and Brett Applegate (32) accomplished the feat against Utah. Freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa led the way with 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting, adding seven assists in his fifth 30-point game of the season.
« Someone would have to tell me when the last time in a Big 12 game three guys had over 30, » BYU coach Kevin Young said. « There’s some high-level stuff going on with all three of them. I thought AJ was unreal. »
AJ Dybantsa is tied for the most games by a freshman in NCAA history with 35+ PTS on 70%+ FG. pic.twitter.com/8wOeQ8Ez4C
— Real App (@realapp) February 11, 2026
The victory was crucial for BYU (18-6, 6-5 Big 12), which had been struggling through its longest losing streak under Young’s two-year tenure. The Cougars overcame an early 12-point deficit and later withstood a furious Baylor rally that cut a 17-point lead to four points in the final 30 seconds.
Baylor’s freshmen answered with their own stellar performances, as Tounde Yessoufou scored a season-high 37 points and Cameron Carr added 24 for the Bears (13-11, 3-9). However, BYU dominated key statistical categories, outscoring Baylor 24-6 in points off turnovers and holding a commanding 64-40 advantage in points in the paint.
Despite the hostile environment, Young praised the Baylor crowd’s behavior. « I actually have to give the Baylor fans credit, » Young said. « They kept it classy. You know they’re gonna go at him and it was in a way that was, I thought, good, good, if that makes sense. »
The Cougars return home to face Colorado on Saturday, with Cougar legend Jimmer Fredette set to have his jersey retired at halftime.
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Sylvain Sultat follows the NBA on a daily basis, covering individual performances, team dynamics, and the league's greatest stories. On Be-Basketball, he breaks down the latest American basketball news with passion and consistency, always on the lookout for the trends shaping the world of basketball.
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