It was a night to remember for BYU basketball at Madison Square Garden. The BYU Cougars stormed back from a 22‑point first‑half deficit to stun Clemson 67‑64 in the Jimmy V Classic, producing the largest second‑half comeback in program history.
At halftime, BYU looked outmatched — trailing 43–22 after a dominant first half by the Tigers. Clemson had blanketed BYU on defense, shut down the Cougars’ offense, and looked firmly in control. But as the second half began, the energy on BYU’s bench and on the court shifted dramatically.
Freshman forward AJ Dybantsa, widely regarded as one of college basketball’s brightest young stars, broke out in historic fashion. After a sluggish first half, he erupted for 22 points after the break, finishing with a season‑high 28 points, along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. In the second half alone, Dybantsa scored or assisted on 34 of BYU’s 45 points and shot 7‑for‑11, turning the momentum entirely in the Cougars’ favor.
As the clock wound down, BYU erased the deficit and edged ahead. But with 5 seconds left, Clemson tied the game at 64. On the ensuing inbounds play, guard Robert Wright III calmly collected the pass and nailed a deep 3‑pointer as time expired — the perfect ending to a dramatic comeback.
The win improves BYU’s record to 8–1 and gives them a massive confidence boost heading into their conference slate. It also serves as a bold statement about Dybantsa’s emerging status and BYU’s resilience as a program.
For Clemson, a 21–0 run to end the first half looked like the defining stretch. Instead, it became a distant memory as the Tigers watched a lead evaporate and defeat arrive at the buzzer.
But for BYU — and particularly for AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright III — Tuesday night at the Garden will likely go down as one of the most thrilling wins in recent program history.