Arizona Holds Off Late BYU Comeback to Secure 86-83 Win and Stay Unbeaten

Top-ranked Arizona narrowly held off a late comeback from No. 13 BYU, securing an 86-83 victory in Provo, Utah, on Monday night. Arizona, now 21-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big 12, has tied its best start in school history.

Freshman guard Brayden Burries led Arizona with 29 points. At the free-throw line, he made 13 out of 14 attempts. Burries also grabbed five rebounds, handed out four assists, and snagged three steals. He made a crucial block against Robert Wright III in the closing moments and then made two clutch free throws.

In the first half, Arizona built a lead through an 18-5 run powered by Jaden Bradley. Bradley scored 26 points and hit four key jumpers during the stretch. At halftime, Arizona led BYU 44-31 and held a 19-point lead midway through the second half.

BYU, facing its first home loss, mounted a spirited comeback. A 12-2 run in the final minute-plus brought them within range. Keba Keita’s putback dunk cut the lead to 84-83 with just 16 seconds left. After an inbounds pass turnover, a potential go-ahead shot from Wright was blocked by Burries. The Cougars missed a long buzzer-beater.

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa was the top scorer for the Cougars with 24 points, despite struggling from the field. Richie Saunders chipped in 18 points, while Kennard Davis Jr. added 17, including five 3-pointers. After halftime, the Cougars improved their shooting from beyond the arc, making 10 out of 20 attempts.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd commented on the finish. "Just tough stuff... it felt like everything at the end kind of went against us. Our guys have competitive character, and hung in there and found a way. But that easily could have gone the other way," said Lloyd to ESPN. He praised Burries' defensive play, which helped secure the win. Lloyd noted they played well in long stretches and faced a tough challenge at the end.

Before this game, Arizona had a string of wins that included nonconference victories over teams like UCLA and UConn. Before playing Arizona, BYU had only two losses, including a setback at Texas Tech and one earlier against UConn. They recently defeated their rival Utah, with Dybantsa scoring 43 points in that game.

Historically, Arizona leads the all-time series over BYU by one game. The last encounter saw BYU win a close 96-95 game in 2025. Now, Arizona keeps its unbeaten record and strengthens its top position in the Big 12.