BYU Closes Strong in Season-Opening Win Over Villanova

6 hours ago7 min read

In a season opener that felt more like a March preview, BYU basketball showed they’ve got that clutch gene, pulling off a gritty 71-66 win over Villanova in Las Vegas that had all the drama of a playoff game. Let’s be real, for a minute there it looked like the Cougars were gonna blow it—they were cruising with a 42-32 halftime lead, looking smooth, but then Villanova, being Villanova, clawed back and actually took a 59-57 lead with under seven minutes left.You could feel the momentum shift, the kind that usually ends with a tough L on the resume. But then BYU flipped the script with a monster 10-0 run, holding ‘Nova scoreless for nearly five minutes—a defensive masterclass that iced the game.The headlines will rightly go to AJ Dybantsa, who dropped a cool 21 points and looked every bit the star, but the real MVP in the chat was senior center Keba Keita. The man was a beast when it mattered: 8 points, 7 boards, 3 blocks, and a steal, but his impact was way bigger than the stat sheet.He was setting bone-crushing screens that freed up guys for easy buckets and making key defensive stops that felt like game-savers. It’s the kind of glue-guy performance that doesn’t always trend on Twitter but wins you games.Richie Saunders chipped in 15 and Rob Wright added 14, showing this squad has depth, but let’s talk about the elephant in the room: BYU missed a ton of shots at the rim, which is why Villanova even had a chance to come back. If they finish those looks, this isn’t even close.But here’s the wild stat that has me hyped for their potential: only 4 turnovers. For a team that wants to run and gun, that’s elite ball security—if they keep that up, this offense is gonna be scary good.On the other side, Villanova’s Bryce Lindsay went off for 22 points, hitting five threes and keeping the Wildcats alive, but BYU’s D held the whole squad to just 36% shooting, which is lockdown stuff. Yeah, Villanova might not be a tournament team this year, but this should still count as a Quad 1 or Quad 2 win for BYU, a nice little data point that’ll look sweet come Selection Sunday.Next up, BYU hosts Holy Cross in Provo for the home opener, and if they play with this kind of heart and smarts, it’s gonna be a fun season. This win wasn’t just about starting 1-0; it was a statement that BYU can win ugly, fight through adversity, and close out games when it counts—something that’ll pay dividends when the stakes get higher.

#BYU Cougars

#Villanova Wildcats

#college basketball

#game recap

#AJ Dybantsa

#Keba Keita

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