No. 5 Houston stops record-setting Dybantsa, BYU
Houston's Joseph Tugler, left, drives past BYU's Keba Keita during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kingston Fleming scored 17 points as No. 5 Houston held off AJ Dybantsa and defeated BYU 73-66 in the Big 12 quarterfinals Thursday night.
Dybantsa played all 40 minutes, finishing with 26 points, but he was held to 3-of-10 shooting in the second half. He came into the game just 25 points shy of Kevin Durant’s record of 92, set in the 2007 Big 12 tournament. His 3-pointer with 4 seconds left gave him the record.
BYU was playing in its third game in as many days, while Houston was playing in its first since Saturday.
Emanuel Sharp scored 13 points for Houston (27-5), Joseph Tugler added 12 and Chris Cenac Jr. had 10.
BYU (23-11) also got 15 points from Robert Wright.
Houston struggled to put away BYU. Flemings picked up his third foul in the first minute of the second half. Sharp then picked up his third at the 17:28 mark, giving Houston serious foul trouble in its back court. Flemings got his fourth foul with 6:52 left and Houston clinging to a 59-58 lead.
But BYU couldn't capitalize.
Houston's Joseph Tugler (11) passes as BYU's AJ Dybantsa (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel
Houston led most of the first half, but BYU never let the game get out of reach. Houston led by as many as nine points, but BYU responded with a 10-2 run to trim the deficit. BYU took its first lead on a free throw by Kennard Davis Jr., and then a pair of 3-pointers by Aleksej Kostic and a dunk by Dominique Diomande gave BYU a 41-37 at halftime.
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Houston advanced to Friday's semifinals against either TCU or No. 14 Kansas.
