Bold moment, bold comeback: AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright III turned BYU’s night in New York into a historic rally that stunned Clemson and rewrote the record books.
From a Times Square poster to a Madison Square Garden stage, Dybantsa dominated the second half, pouring in 22 of his 28 points after intermission, adding nine rebounds and six assists. Wright delivered the decisive punch, drilling the game-winner on a behind-the-buzzer inbounds play to lift No. 10 BYU past Clemson 67-64 in the Jimmy V Classic.
Dybantsa’s fireworks didn’t stop there. He sparked BYU’s surge with a 10-1 run to start the second half, then closed the frame with a sequence of two quick free throws to help the Cougars trim a 22-point deficit. By the time the final horn sounded, Clemson’s eight-point halftime advantage had flipped into BYU’s 3-point win, thanks to Dybantsa’s all-around impact and Wright’s clutch finish.
Wright finished with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Keba Keita contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Clemson’s Jestin Porter led the Tigers with 17 points, plus four rebounds and four assists, and RJ Godfrey added 13 points and five boards.
With under a second left and the score tied at 64-64, BYU head coach Kevin Young drew up one final play. The top option went to Dybantsa, who was met by solid defense, as was the second option for Richie Saunders. That left Wright wide open for the inbounds pass from Mihailo Boskovic, and the freshman-turned-late-basketmarker delivered the game-winner for his first since high school.
“I told Mihai to look for me; I’d be open,” Wright said on BYU Radio. “Then I got the ball and knocked it down.”
Strategically, Clemson’s Porter had staked the Tigers to the early lead with 14 points and three assists in the first half, while Carter Welling—a Utah Valley transfer and former WAC Defensive Player of the Year—provided tenacious defense and timely scoring to keep Clemson ahead. Clemson owned the boards 24-15 before the break and stretched their lead to as high as 43-22 late in the half, aided by a 24-3 run capped by Porter's fourth triple with 59 seconds remaining.
Yet the second half flipped the script. BYU’s defense created turnovers and limited Clemson’s efficiency, helping generate a 12-6 rebounding edge and a cascade of second-chance opportunities. Dybantsa’s expressive playmaking—five assists for the game—paired with Keita’s dunk-assisted dominance to push BYU into the lead late.
Clemson’s late push—capped by Hunter’s tying basket with five seconds left—set the stage for Wright’s heroics and the Cougars’ most storied second-half comeback in program history.
Upcoming schedules: BYU returns home after six straight road games, hosting UC Riverside on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST live on ESPN+.
Notes: This recap honors BYU’s dramatic win and highlights the standout performances that defined the night. The key takeaways were determined with editorial input and review.
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