BYU basketball closed out the preseason with a win.
The No. 8 Cougars hung on late to defeat No. 25 North Carolina 78-76 Friday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City to finish 1-1 in their pair of exhibition contests.
3 takeaways
Dybantsa and Keita shined. Just like last week at Nebraska, AJ Dybantsa was excellent on Friday for BYU.
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The freshman phenom scored a team-high 18 points on 6 of 13 shooting, and he added eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Keba Keita was a beast down low, posting a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds — with eight boards coming on the offensive glass.
Additionally, Keita went a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line — no small feat for a big man who has been very bad from the charity stripe during his college career — and swiped two steals while also swatting away UNC’s would-be tying shot in the final seconds to seal the victory for BYU.
BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) pulls up for a jump-shot while guarded by North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) warms up before an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against the North Carolina Tar Heels held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU students hold up the “Y” as forward AJ Dybantsa (3) takes foul shots during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against the North Carolina Tar Heels held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) lays the ball up past North Carolina forward Jonathan Powell (11) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis calls out to his players during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against BYU held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives the ball on North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) goes up for a shot against North Carolina forward Jonathan Powell (11) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by North Carolina forward Jonathan Powell (11) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Mihailo Boskovic (5) pulls up for a jump-shot against North Carolina during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) goes up for a shot against North Carolina defenders during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Cosmo the Cougar flips over fans during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game between BYU and North Carolina held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) celebrates after a play with center Keba Keita (13) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against North Carolina held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Tyler Mrus (2) pulls up for a jump-shot against North Carolina during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Mihailo Boskovic (5) and forward AJ Dybantsa (3) celebrate after a play during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against North Carolina held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Kennard Davis Jr. (30) holds his follow-through on his made three-pointer during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against North Carolina held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) high-fives fans as he exits the floor after the Cougars defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU center Keba Keita (13) dunks the ball while guarded by North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dunks the ball on a fast break against North Carolina during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dunks the ball while guarded by North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) shoots the ball while guarded by North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU center Keba Keita (13) lays the ball up past North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU center Keba Keita (13) dunks the ball against North Carolina during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU head coach Kevin Young calls out to his players during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game against North Carolina held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Khadim Mboup (7) passes the ball around North Carolina forward Zayden High (1) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) dunks the ball on BYU center Keba Keita (13) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) drives the ball on North Carolina guard Derek Dixon (3) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dunks the ball on North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
BYU forward Khadim Mboup (7) dunks the ball against North Carolina during an NCAA men’s basketball exhibition game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
The Cougars struggled from behind the arc. BYU made just 5 of 25 3-pointers on the night, with Richie Saunders the only player to sink multiple such shots — though he finished just 2 of 9.
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Luckily for the Cougars, UNC shot 21.1% from deep, as BYU’s perimeter defense appeared better than last week’s showing at Nebraska.
Despite the lack of 3-point success, it was far from an offensive dud for the Cougars. BYU scored 44 points in the paint, hit 19 free throws and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds.
Shooting woes in October are nothing to lose sleep over; the Cougars should be fine. But BYU only turning the ball over 12 times in a competitive outing against a ranked opponent at this point in the season is definitely laudable.
Kevin Young treated this like a regular season game. Unlike last week’s game wherein the Cougars kept their end of bench players in for a potential game-winner, Young coached Friday as if the result actually counted.
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BYU’s starters were Rob Wright III, Kennard Davis, Dybantsa, Saunders and Keita, with Khadim Mboup coming off the bench first.
Mihailo Boskovic played the most of any reserve with 22 minutes on the floor, followed by Mboup with 13 minutes, Aleksej Kostic with 10 and eight from Tyler Mrus.
The Cougars only had 10 bench points, but such an output was to be expected with the starters playing an average of 29 minutes each.
Just like last week, BYU held Dawson Baker, Nate Pickens and Brody Kozlowski out of the contest.
