A top-15 showdown highlights Monday’s college basketball slate as the No. 1-ranked unbeaten Arizona Wildcats and No. 13 BYU Cougars meet in a Big 12 clash.
This game features a pair of marquee freshmen in the Cougars’ wing AJ Dybantsa and Wildcats’ forward Koa Peat.
These two split the regular-season series, with each team winning on the other’s home court last season.
Arizona is favored by three points, with the Over/Under set at 163.5 points.
The Wildcats’ perfect season continues, as their plus-21.6 scoring margin ranks fifth in the nation, and they have accounted for six wins by 30 points or more.
Headlining Arizona’s versatile frontline is Peat, who leads the team in scoring with 14.7 points per contest. Often overlooked in comparison to other NBA prospects like Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Darryn Peterson, Peat has shown pro-ready strength and athleticism.
Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka are an experienced duo who average a combined 18.4 rebounds per contest for the Wildcats.
Their ability to keep a slashing Dybantsa away from the paint will be key.
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Dybantsa broke Danny Ainge’s BYU freshman record for most points in a game, scoring 43 in the Cougars 91-78 win over Utah on Saturday.
At 6-foot-9, Dybantsa’s game is more than just showtime dunks and paint drives. He also has great tools in the post, including the ability to back down a defender and drain his patented fadeaway.
It’s far from a one-man act for the Cougars, as the backcourt of Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III can each get their own buckets.
Dybantsa’s skill set, though, is power meets finesse, combined with excellent footwork and the ability to make a catch-and-shoot rhythm jumper or two. He averages the second-most points in the nation with 23.2 per outing.
In today’s college game, he’s virtually unstoppable and enough to snap Arizona’s bid at a perfect season.
Expect Dybantsa’s momentum from Saturday’s scoring explosion to carry over and help BYU upset the nation’s top team.
The Play: BYU moneyline (+130, bet365 Sportsbook)
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