Big 12 tourney Thursday highlights: Iowa State sets record. So did AJ Dybantsa
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Iowa State erased a 12-point early deficit to win 75-53 over Texas Tech.
- Cyclones had 71-point two-game margin, largest in major-conference tourney since 1993.
- Joshua Jefferson led with 16 points, 13 rebounds and six assists; ISU to semifinals.
Two weeks ago, Texas Tech handed Iowa State its only home loss of the season.
When the Red Raiders opened a 12-point lead in the first seven minutes of Thursday’s Big 12 men’s basketball tournament quarterfinals at T-Mobile Center, it looked like more of the same.
But the Cyclones reversed course, battled back and ran away with a 75-53 victory.
Coupled with their 49-point triumph over Arizona State in the second round, Iowa State’s combined winning margin (71) in those first two games is the largest in any major-conference men’s tournament since 1993, according to ISU’s athletic department.
“I think our best is still in front of us,” ISU coach T.J. Ozelberger said.
That’s a scary thought. But the Cyclones are the nation’s seventh-ranked team, and Thursday they were powered by forward Joshua Jefferson, who finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Guard Tamin Lipsey added 20 points.
Defensively, the Cyclones clamped down on Tech, which played the final 8 1/2 minutes without all-conference guard Christian Anderson. He slipped on the Big 12 tourney’s new LED glass floor and appeared to suffer a groin injury.
The No. 5-seeded Cyclones will meet Arizona in Friday’s first semifinal game at 6 p.m.
Arizona routs UCF
The second-ranked team in the nation proved its status with a drubbing of UCF 81-59.
Only two opponents have managed to stop the Arizona Wildcats (30-2) and their award-winning lineup: Kansas and Texas Tech. Texas Tech is already looking forward to the Big Dance; a Kansas rematch could come to fruition if both teams meet in the tournament championship.
Arizona gave the Knights little reason for hope, racing out to a 27-point lead in the first half and never relinquishing the lead. Arizona freshman guard Brayden Burries led the way with 21 points. Projected NBA lottery pick Koa Peat added 12 points and four rebounds.
While happy with the win, head coach Tommy Lloyd seemed perturbed by the lack of Arizona fans in the stands.
“I think our fans all waited to buy tickets. They all assume that we’re going to San Diego (for the NCAA Tournament), and they’re making a lot of assumptions now, and they’ve saved all their money. I just didn’t feel like we had a great presence in the arena today,” Lloyd said.
“So you know what? Then it needs to become all about us. We need to internalize and kind of band together and become a stronger unit, and we need to create energy for each other and draw energy off each other in those situations.”
The Wildcats will certainly be in a road-game environment when they go up against Iowa State in Friday’s first semifinal. The Cyclones’ fanbase typically attends the Big 12 tournament in huge numbers.
On the bright side, though, Arizona defeated Iowa State by double-digits just 10 days ago.
“We’ll obviously look back at that and see what worked and what didn’t work and see what kind of adjustments we can make,” Lloyd said.
Record for AJ Dybantsa, but no victory
BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa swished a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining. It was too little, too late for BYU, but enough for Dybantsa to set a Big 12 tournament record.
Houston prevailed 73-66 and moves into Friday’s semifinal against the Kansas-TCU winner.
Dybantsa finished with 26 points. That gives him 93 for the three-game stay, topping the output of Texas’ Kevin Durant, who scored 92 over three games in 2007. The Longhorns lost to Kansas in the final that year, but Durant was named the event’s most outstanding player.
That probably won’t happen this time with Dybantsa’s Cougars losing in the quarterfinals. But what a tournament for the player who might be the top pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
BYU coach Kevin Young said his star player should have had more points. He didn’t like the officiating.
“I’ll just cut to the chase right out of the gate,” Young said. “AJ took 10 free throws. And look, I don’t ever go there. Houston beat us, stone-cold beat us. They won the game.
“AJ should have shot 20 free throws minimum. ... I thought (officials) flat out missed calls.”
Dybantsa finished with 40 against Kansas State in the opening game and added 27 against West Virginia in the second round. His 31-point scoring average is also a record for the tournament.
And it was cool to break Durant’s record.
“Everybody knows he’s my favorite player,” Dybantsa said. “So it feels good to break his record.”
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 3:32 PM.
