College basketball is set to start on a high note with the No. 8 BYU Cougars hosting the Villanova Wildcats in Las Vegas on Monday night. The biggest storyline before the game is the highly anticipated debut of freshman forward AJ Dybantsa, who was the No. 1 recruit in the country in his class.
Ahead of the game, let’s take a look at injury reports of both teams.
BYU vs Villanova: Injury Report
BYU Cougars Injury Report
BYU is in relatively clean shape for the opener.
Guards Nate Pickens, Dawson Baker and forward Brody Kozlowski are all questionable with an undisclosed injury and it’s unknown for the time being if they will suit up for the game against the Wildcats on Nov. 3.
Villanova Wildcats Injury Report
Villanova has some injury report to share.
Guard Devin Askew is out with a knee injury and is not expected back until late December. Guard Zion Stanford is also unavailable for this game. Moreover, Malcolm Flaggs and Bryce Lindsay are listed as game-time decisions.
BYU vs Villanova: Predicted Starting Lineups
BYU Cougars
G: Rob Wright III
G: Richie Saunders
F: AJ Dybantsa
F: Keba Keita
F: Kennard Davis
Villanova Wildcats
PG: Acaden Lewis
SG: Bryce Lindsay
SF: Matt Hodge
PF: Tafara Gapare
C: Duke Brennan
AJ Dybantsa will be the center of the attention in the season opener as it will be his first official game on college circuit. He is a McDonald’s All-American (2025), 2× Nike Hoop Summit (2024, 2025) and FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2025).
After playing for Prolific Prep and later Utah Prep, Dybantsa had offers from almost all top programs, including Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, UConn, Duke, Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Kentucky, North Carolina, Providence, USC, Utah, and Washington.
He reclassified his class to 2025 and in last December, he announced his commitment for the Cougars.
On international stages, Dybantsa won a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mérida, Mexico, while representing USA. Including 12 points in the gold medal game, the freshman averaged 13.8 points per game in the tournament.
Read More News:
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prediction, Starting Lineup And Injury Report Ft. Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and More
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
