College Basketball: Previewing Opening Night's BYU-Villanova Matchup

College basketball's opening night includes two games featuring some of the best teams in the country, including the reigning National Champion Florida Gators facing the Arizona Wildcats and projected top-three pick AJ Dyabntsa's BYU squad going up against Villanova. With only a little less than a month to go before the season begins, let's take a deep dive into the BYU-Villanova matchup.

Villanova @ BYU

BYU Cougars

The star of this game is none other than projected top-three pick AJ Dybantsa. The 6-foot-9 wing moves incredibly fluid for his size, and has impressive burst and physicality that allows him to get to the rim with ease. Combine this with his aggressive scoring mentality, ball-handling ability, and pull-up midrange game, and you've got a potential three-level scorer. He's elite in transition and has the potential to be an incredible on-ball defender as well.

Dybantsa is not the only player with NBA potential, however, as 6-foot-5 senior guard Richie Saunders and 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Rob Wright III are both players to monitor as prospects this season.

Saunders averaged 16.5 points, 1.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game as a junior last season while shooting 68.2% at the rim (132 attempts), 44% on non-rim twos (75 attempts), and 43.2% from three (183 total attempts) and 83.5% from the free throw line (115 attempts). He recorded a 5.7 offensive rebound percentage and 4.1 stock percentage last season as well, showing he can impact the game in multiple ways.

Rob Wright III was part of the all-time, undefeated Cooper Flagg-led Montverde team that featured Derik Queen, Asa Newell, Curtis Givens III, and Liam McNeeley. The 6-foot-1 guard and Baylor transfer was impactful last season as a freshman, averaging 11.5 points, 4.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and one steal per game while shooting 54.2% at the rim (120 attempts), 33.1% on non-rim twos (136 attempts), 35.2% from three (88 attempts), and 79.6% from the free throw line (103 attempts). He also assisted on an estimated 27.5% of his teammates' made field goals when on the floor last season, an impressive number that likely indicates a level of playmaking ability.

Another player to watch for BYU includes 6-foot-11 Xavion Staton, Dybantsa's former teammate at Utah Prep and the No. 36 overall recruit from the 2025 high school class (according to 247Sports Composite®). Lastly, senior Keba Keita is a player to monitor -- he's a 6-foot-7 forward who is extremely impactful as both a rebounder (16.5 offensive rebound percentage | 27.1 defensive rebound percentage) and as a defensive event creator (nine stock percentage).

Villanova Wildcats

The top player to watch on this Villanova squad is freshman Acaden Lewis. The 6-foot-2 guard was the No. 33 overall recruit (according to 247 Sports Composite®). He's known for his ball-dominant style of play, high level of skill, and touch near the rim, and is a prospect to monitor this upcoming season.