BYU’s Richie Saunders Earns National Player Of The Week
Feb 25, 2025, 1:38 PM
BYU Basketball junior Richie Saunders earned National Player of the Week. (Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
(Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – Richie Saunders is the first BYU basketball player since 2017 to be named National Player of the Week.
The USBWA (U.S. Basketball Writers Association) named Saunders among their five-man Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week selections.
Saunders is the first BYU player since Elijah Bryant in February 2017 to earn the National Player of the Week recognition.
BYU's Richie Saunders earned Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week recognition from the USBWA.
It's the first time a BYU player has received this honor since Elijah Bryant in 2017. pic.twitter.com/yFBasryN5B
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 25, 2025
Joining Saunders as the USBWA’s National Players of the Week, ending on February 23, is Alabama star Mark Sears, Oregon center Nate Bittle, Bez Mbeng from Yale, and North Carolina A&T forward Jahnathan Lamothe.
Richie Saunders named USBWA National Player of the Week
Saunders was instrumental in BYU’s perfect week, which featured wins over blue-blood brands Kansas and Arizona.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound junior averaged 22.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
He knocked down two free throws to give BYU the upset win at Arizona with three seconds remaining.
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.”
BYU basketball is thriving with Saunders leading the way
Saunders has been efficient all season for BYU. But last week was some of the Riverton native’s best work. Saunders was 10-of-11 from inside the arc and 7-of-12 from 3-point range in the two wins over blue blood Big 12 brands.
The wins gave BYU back-to-back victories over Top 25 teams for the first time since 1988.
BYU’s impressive week, led by Saunders, put the Cougars in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time this season.
Richie Saunders and BYU will return to action on Wednesday when they take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe.
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.
