BYU is out of the Big 12 Tournament after falling short against Houston in the quarterfinals, 73-66, at T-Mobile Center on Thursday.
BYU struggled from the field in the second half, going scoreless for five minutes at one point despite having AJ Dybantsa. Houston's Kingston Flemings sank a three-pointer with 1:27 left to bury the dagger and advance to the semifinals.
But it was not the lack of trying for Dybantsa, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 7-of-18 shooting. He added five rebounds and two assists, although he also had five turnovers.
In three games in the Big 12 Tournament, the talented freshman scored 93 points, surpassing Kevin Durant for the most in a single run, according to ESPN Insights. Durant had 92 points in his lone year at Texas in 2007.
AJ DYBANTSA ETCHES HIS NAME IN BIG 12 TOURNAMENT HISTORY 🔥
Dybantsa has 93 points in the Big 12 tournament, passing Kevin Durant (92 in 2007) for most in a single tournament. pic.twitter.com/O66gWQiJpg
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 13, 2026
With his impressive performance, the 19-year-old Dybantsa may have cemented his case as the No. 1 overall pick, like Durant, in this year's NBA Draft.
Unfortunately, fatigue may have caught up with the 10th-seeded BYU, which played its third game in as many days, while the second-seeded Houston was well-rested. Dybantsa played all 40 minutes.
Before the game, Dybantsa stressed the need to lessen their turnovers and match Houston's physicality. They failed to do both. Still, they kept themselves in the game and had multiple chances to win it.
Like Dybantsa, Durant did not win the title in the Big 12 Tournament, as the Longhorns lost to Kansas in overtime in the final. He then carried Texas up to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Dybantsa has a chance to surpass Durant in that regard as well if BYU earns a berth.
