NEW YORK (Interstat) — AJ Dybantsa scored 28 points to lead a dramatic second-half comeback as BYU rallied past Clemson 67-64 in a men’s basketball game Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. The Cougars, trailing 43-22 at halftime, opened the second half on a 23-1 run to seize control. Dybantsa, a freshman, scored 22 of his points after intermission. Robert Wright added 17 points for BYU, which improved to 7-1. Jestin Porter scored 17 points and RJ Godfrey added 13 for the Tigers, who fell to 7-3 after scoring only 21 points in the second half. Clemson led by as many as 21 in the first half but could not sustain its offense against BYU’s intensified defense.

NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of momentum that transformed a blowout into a nail-biter, the BYU Cougars erased a 21-point halftime deficit to stun the Clemson Tigers 67-64 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. The game’s defining stretch was a relentless second-half surge by BYU, spearheaded by freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa, which completely overwhelmed a Clemson team that had dominated the opening 20 minutes. The Tigers, capitalizing on efficient offense and stifling defense, built a commanding 43-22 lead by halftime. Clemson shot 50% from the field in the first half while holding the Cougars to just 22 points on 29% shooting, including 1 of 11 from three-point range. The second half was a different story entirely. BYU emerged from the locker room with intensified defensive pressure, forcing Clemson into rushed shots and turnovers. The Tigers’ offense, so fluid before the break, went cold, managing only 21 points after intermission on 7-of-31 shooting. Meanwhile, Dybantsa took over. The 6-foot-9 forward from Brockton, Massachusetts, scored 20 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, attacking the rim, drawing fouls and facilitating for teammates. He finished with six assists. BYU’s comeback was methodical. A 9-0 run early in the half cut the lead to 12. The Cougars continued to chip away, with Robert Wright contributing key baskets on his way to 17 points. The Tigers’ lead, which seemed insurmountable, dwindled to single digits with over 10 minutes to play and vanished completely when a Dybantsa-assisted alley-oop dunk by Keba Keita gave BYU its first lead at 58-56 with just over three minutes remaining. Keita, from Bamako, Mali, was a force defensively with three blocks and added 10 points. Clemson, led by Jestin Porter’s 17 points and four assists and RJ Godfrey’s 13 points, had chances in the final minutes. A driving layup by Dillon Hunter tied the game at 64 with five seconds left, capping a desperate late push by the Tigers. BYU, however, had the final answer. Following a timeout to advance the ball, Mihailo Boskovic inbounded to a curling Robert Wright, who drained a contested 3-pointer from the wing as time expired, sending the Cougar bench into a frenzy and capping the remarkable 45-point second half. The statistical tale highlighted the halves. Clemson finished the game shooting 36% from the field and 31% from three-point range. BYU improved to 40% shooting overall but was just 5 of 23 from deep. The Cougars won despite being out-rebounded 41-37, leveraging 12 second-half points off turnovers and a 15-5 advantage in second-chance points after halftime. With the victory, BYU improved to 7-1 on the season. The Cougars, who were a 5.5-point pregame favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook, next host UC Riverside on Saturday. Clemson, which fell to 7-3, will look to rebound when it hosts Mercer on Saturday. The Tigers’ previous game was an 84-90 loss at Alabama on Dec. 3.

Preview: Clemson Tigers vs. BYU Cougars in Jimmy V Classic NEW YORK (Interstat) — Two teams riding strong early-season momentum will meet at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday when the Clemson Tigers face the BYU Cougars in the 2025-26 Jimmy V Classic. Clemson (7-2) arrives in New York following a hard-fought 90-84 road loss at then-Alabama last Wednesday, a game that snapped a four-game winning streak. The Tigers have shown resilience, with an overtime win at Georgia and a tight victory over West Virginia highlighting their nonconference schedule. The Tigers are led by forward RJ Godfrey, who is coming off a career-high 19-point performance against the Crimson Tide. Over his last five games, Godfrey is averaging 14.2 points and has been a consistent two-way contributor. Guard Dillon Hunter, who scored 13 points against Alabama, provides backcourt stability. BYU (6-1) enters on a three-game win streak, most recently a 66-44 defensive dismantling of California Baptist. The Cougars’ lone loss was a narrow 86-84 defeat at Connecticut. Their resume includes a dominant 98-70 victory over Wisconsin and a solid road win at Miami. Freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa powers the Cougars’ attack. The versatile forward is averaging 18.1 points per game, including a 25-point outing in the loss at UConn. He is complemented by guard Robert Wright, who leads the team in assists, and rim protector Keba Keita. This neutral-site clash presents a key strength-on-strength matchup. Clemson’s physical, experienced lineup will test a BYU squad that has scored 85 or more points in four of its seven games. The Tigers will aim to control the tempo, while the Cougars will look to leverage their offensive firepower and transition game. The game marks the final major nonconference test for both programs before conference play begins next month. Clemson opens its Atlantic Coast Conference slate at Syracuse on Dec. 31. BYU begins Big 12 play at Kansas State on Jan. 3. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 9:30 p.m. EST Tuesday, following the first game of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader. The game will be televised on ESPN.