‘Time To Finish What We Started’, Richie Saunders Returning To BYU
Apr 26, 2025, 7:13 PM | Updated: Apr 28, 2025, 2:33 pm
PROVO, Utah – The wait is over for BYU basketball fans after star forward Richie Saunders announced his intentions to ‘finish what we started’ next season.
Saunders announced his return on Saturday, April 2025.
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Saunders helped lead BYU to a 26-10 record in its second season in the Big 12. The Cougars finished 14-6 in conference play, earning a six-seed and a trip to Denver for the NCAA Tournament.
The Cougars beat VCU and Wisconsin, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011.
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Richie Saunders returns following exhilirating season
Saunders was instrumental in BYU’s storybook season, leading the Cougars to a berth in the Sweet 16 and earning a smattering of Big 12 and national awards during the process.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound junior averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals as a junior.
Richie Saunders tonight against No. 3 Wisconsin:
25 pts | 7 reb | 3-4 3pt pic.twitter.com/UTFmm74rd1
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 23, 2025
Along with winning National Player of the Week from the USBWA, Saunders was named Big 12 Player of the Week. He’s the first BYU player to earn that recognition since the Cougars joined the league in 2023.
“I just think his play speaks for itself,” said BYU head coach Kevin Young on Richie Saunders to reporters on Monday. “He’s been extremely consistent in really all facets of the game, across the board all year. He’s helped us beat some really good teams. The more exposure he gets, I think more people are starting to see what I feel like I’ve known for a while.”
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Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
