The BYU Cougars were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this year, but that didn’t take away from the remarkable season of true freshman and top NBA draft prospect AJ Dybantsa.
He finished the year leading the country in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game while also contributing 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists, earning recognition as a Wooden Award finalist and a member of the AP All-American first team.
Although his collegiate journey is likely over, Dybantsa has stayed tuned in to the sport as the Final Four approaches. During an interview with Yahoo Sports Daily on Thursday, he shared who he believes will be cutting down the nets in Indianapolis as this year’s national champion.
“Arizona’s super physical, so you definitely have to match their physicality. I think Michigan probably has the best chance to beat them due to their size… but if I had to choose, I would go with Arizona,” Dybantsa said. “Big 12, played them twice, but any of those four teams are capable. I’d think Arizona to win it all.”
The Final Four is set to feature the No. 2 Connecticut Huskies facing the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini at 6:09 p.m. EST, followed by Arizona taking on Michigan at 8:49 p.m. EST. Both Arizona and Michigan entered the NCAA Tournament as No. 1 overall seeds, and aside from Arizona trailing Purdue at halftime, both teams have navigated the tournament with relatively little adversity so far.
Currently, Arizona enters as a slight underdog, with Michigan favored by 1.5 points according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Michigan has three losses this season, while the Wildcats have dropped just two.