No. 8 BYU basketball opens season with tight win over Villanova in Las Vegas

Monday night in Las Vegas was the opening scene to the most anticipated season in BYU men's basketball history.

Against a historically great program in Villanova, the No. 8 BYU Cougars came away with the 71-66 victory in Sin City.

It wasn't always easy for the Cougars. Once leading by 14 points, BYU let the Wildcats creep back, and Villanova ended up taking the lead late in the second half.

After a Bryce Lindsay 3-pointer put Villanova up by two with 6:28 left in the game, BYU's closing unit had to come up big, and every single player had a role in the Cougars first comeback win of the season.

BYU freshman sensation and the No. 1 ranked high school recruit, AJ Dybantsa, scored six points after the Lindsay three, and he commanded the floor on offense, even playing point-forward at times for the Cougars.

Dybantsa got to the rim at will, and had some impressive finishes throughout the game.

"I thought [Dybantsa] was really good. He came through in the clutch there when we needed him," BYU coach Kevin Young told TNT after the game. "Overall, for a freshman in his first game to deliver like that in crunch time is impressive."

Dybantsa finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in his collegiate debut.

Veteran center Keba Keita was also a major part in the win for BYU, making major defensive plays down the stretch. He had two blocks in the second half, and reached to the heavens to alter Villanova's Devin Askew's 3-point shot that was the Wildcats last chance to get back into the game.

All game, Keita was making big-time plays, and was a steady force for a team that features many new faces. He finished the game with eight points, seven total rebounds, three offensive rebounds and three blocks.

"Keba started every game for us last year, and he's a presence, a force and an anchor," Young said.

BYU's top returning scorer and All-American hopeful, Richie Saunders, was reportedly battling an illness all day, but managed to recover in time to start the first game of his senior season.

While Saunders didn't shoot lights out — 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting — he was active all game, picking up three offensive rebounds and two steals. One offensive board came with one minute left when the Cougars were up by six, all but icing the game.

"That last offensive rebound that Richie had, that just personifies him," Young said. "The guy's puking all day and he still gets in a big play at the end."

It was a rough shooting night for the Cougars, only going 26-for-66 from the field and 5-for-17 from 3-point range, but the effort and motor was on full display from all players.

BYU will host Holy Cross on Saturday in the first home game of the season.