The No. 10 BYU Cougars and Clemson Tigers square off at MSG tonight in the Jimmy V Classic.
Top freshmen AJ Dybantsa anchors a strong starting lineup for BYU, but my Clemson vs. BYU predictions believe the Tigers’ incredible depth will help them cover tonight in N.Y.
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Find out more in my college basketball picks for Tuesday, December 9.
Clemson vs BYU prediction
Clemson vs BYU best bet: Clemson +5.5 (-110)
AJ Dybantsa has lived up to the hype so far. The No. 2 freshman in the signing class and a projected top 3 pick in the NBA Draft, Dybantsa is averaging 19.4 points and 6.3 rebounds, leading BYU in both categories.
The Cougars aren’t a one-man show. Richie Saunders (18.9 and 5.8) and Robert Wright III (16.9 and 6.3 assists) give BYU three outstanding scoring options.
BYU falls off after that. In the Cougars’ loss to UConn, only one other player scored more than four points. Against Villanova and Miami, no one else reached double figures.
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The BYU starting lineup has played nearly two-thirds of the time so far this season, and scored 81% of the team’s points, with the Big Three responsible for 65%.
Normally, that wouldn’t be a major problem. Plenty of successful teams lean on three options. However, it doesn’t match up well with Clemson. The Tigers go 10 deep, with starters playing 56% of available minutes. That’s 10 percentage points more playing time for the bench than BYU.
The starters only score 56% of Clemson’s points, as well. Eight Clemson players score more than BYU’s starting center, Keba Keita.
BYU is making its third trip to the East Coast in three weeks. The previous two trips featured a straight-up loss to UConn and an ATS loss to Dayton. The travel-weary Cougars could be vulnerable and wear down against a Clemson squad that keeps finding fresh bodies to sub in.
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Clemson vs BYU same-game parlay
Clemson plays at the No. 296-ranked pace in the nation, but that’s already baked into the over/under cutoff. This will be the second-lowest total BYU has faced this season. Against top opponents, both teams have been hitting the gas.
BYU went over against UConn and Wisconsin, putting up totals of 168 and 170. Clemson has gone over against all four power conference opponents its faced including 191 against Georgia (in OT) and 174 against Alabama.
Saunders scored 26 against Wisconsin, but even with that, he’s averaging just 16.5 points against power conference foes. He’s BYU’s top outside threat, and Clemson has the No. 23 perimeter defense in the country, so he’ll be a target.
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Clemson vs BYU SGP
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Richie Saunders Under 17.5 points
Our beyond the arc SGP: It’s showtime
Dybantsa has topped 20 points three times this season: in Las Vegas, and at the home arenas of the Celtics and Jazz. He’ll be playing at the world’s most famous arena tonight and will be ready to shine.
Clemson vs BYU SGP
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Richie Saunders Under 17.5 points
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AJ Dybantsa Over 20.5 points
Clemson vs BYU odds
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Spread: Clemson +5.5 | BYU -5.5
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Moneyline: Clemson +205 | BYU -250
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Over/Under: Over 151 | Under 151
Clemson vs BYU betting trend to know
Clemson has hit the Game Total Over in 19 of their last 33 games. Find more college basketball betting trends for Clemson vs. BYU.
How to watch Clemson vs BYU
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Location |
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
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Date |
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 |
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Tip-off |
6:30 p.m. ET |
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TV |
ESPN |
Clemson vs BYU key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
