Kevin Young Reveals First BYU Starting Lineup Without Richie Saunders
Feb 18, 2026, 6:49 PM | Updated: 7:00 pm
BYU basketball will move forward in the 2025-26 season without star Richie Saunders.
A mainstay in the program, Saunders suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the opening minute of BYU’s overtime win over Colorado.
The question now is, how will BYU move forward without its “heart and soul” player?
BYU basketball will start Mihailo Bošković against No. 4 Arizona
BYU’s first test will be on Wednesday night against No. 4 Arizona in Tucson. The starting lineup will feature senior Mihailo Bošković, according to BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young.
Bošković is getting the second start of his BYU career. The first was on November 15 this year, against UConn in Boston.
BYU lost that game 86-84 against the Huskies, who, like Arizona, are in the mix for a No. 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Bošković is averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game this season.
Kevin Young said in his pregame radio conversation with the BYU Sports Network (heard on KSL NewsRadio) that it’s not a permanent thing, but it’s the lineup for tonight against the Wildcats.
“I’m not stamping off on anything from a rest of the season standpoint. But for tonight, … going with Mihailo (Bošković) from a size perspective and skillset,” Young said on the BYU Sports Network. “It kind of allows us to play the way we want. But still guard the way we want.”
The rest of the starting five will include BYU stars AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright III, along with Keba Keita and Kennard Davis Jr.
While BYU is without Saunders, Arizona is also shorthanded, as star freshman Koa Peat is out with a lower-leg injury.
Young later added on tonight’s matchup with Arizona, “I think it’s a game where it’s going to be a lot of feeling out. In terms of who they start, how they’re matched up, when they go ‘small,’ how much big? So we’ll see. I think that’s something we’ve got to do a good job of, coaching the game on the fly.”
Starting Lineups
No. 23 BYU
- G – Robert Wright III
- G – Kennard Davis Jr.
- F – AJ Dybantsa
- F – Mihailo Boskovic
- C – Keba Keita
No. 4 Arizona
- G – Jaden Bradley
- G – Brayden Burries
- F – Ivan Kharchenkov
- F – Tobe Awaka
- C – Motiejus Krivas
No. 23 BYU vs. No. 4 Arizona
Tip-off: 7 p.m. (MST)
TV: ESPN
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
