BYU Grabs Gritty OT Win, But Loses Heart-and-Soul Guard Richie Saunders for Season
BYU’s 90-86 overtime win over Colorado on Saturday was the kind of gutsy performance that can galvanize a team heading into the final stretch of the season. It was their second straight win - the first time they’ve strung together back-to-back victories since early January - and it came against a tough, physical opponent.
But any celebration was quickly muted. Just 45 seconds into the game, senior guard Richie Saunders went down with a non-contact injury.
On Sunday, the Cougars confirmed the worst: a torn ACL, ending Saunders’ season - and his BYU career.
For a program trying to find its rhythm again after a rough midseason stretch, this is a gut punch.
Saunders has been nothing short of a revelation this year. The 2024-25 Big 12 Most Improved Player and one of the league’s top scorers, Saunders was averaging a career-high 18.0 points per game while also contributing 1.7 steals per contest.
He was one of just two players in the Big 12 - alongside Texas Tech’s JT Toppin - to eclipse the 1,000-point mark over the past two seasons. His impact on both ends of the floor made him a cornerstone for BYU, and his leadership as a senior added an emotional backbone to this team.
The injury happened on BYU’s very first possession. Saunders drove into the paint, looked to kick the ball out, and came down awkwardly.
He stayed down for several minutes before eventually walking off under his own power - but he wouldn’t return. Head coach Kevin Young didn’t have an update immediately after the game, but the silence spoke volumes.
And on Sunday, Saunders confirmed the diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“Unfortunate news last night - I tore my ACL, ending my season,” he wrote. “To end my BYU career like this is heartbreaking. I’ve loved every moment and every challenge that came with representing the school I love.”
It’s the kind of message that hits hard, both for fans and teammates. Saunders has been a grinder his entire career - never the flashiest player, but always the one diving for loose balls, taking charges, and doing the little things that don’t show up in the box score.
His rise to one of the Big 12’s best scorers this season was a testament to that work ethic. And now, his season ends not with a final shot or a curtain call, but with a rehab assignment.
Still, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Richie Saunders, it’s that he doesn’t back down from adversity. “My story has never been one of ease,” he wrote.
“While I didn’t plan for this, my career is not over. I will return with more fight and more grit than before.”
His absence leaves a major hole in BYU’s lineup, and not just statistically. Saunders was the emotional engine of this team - the guy who set the tone defensively, who could create his own shot when the offense stalled, and who brought a veteran presence to a squad that’s had to navigate the gauntlet that is the Big 12.
The Cougars still have firepower. AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer at 24.4 points per game, continues to be a walking bucket.
Rob Wright III is right behind him, averaging 18.7 points. But losing Saunders means losing a third scoring option who could also lock down on the perimeter.
And for a team that’s already seen its Final Four hopes take a hit after four straight losses to ranked opponents, the road ahead just got steeper.
Coach Young didn’t mince words after the game.
“It sucked the life out of the gym, if I’m being honest,” he said. “You never want to see an injury to any player, but definitely to someone who’s the heart and soul of our team, bleeds BYU blue.
Just didn’t like seeing it. Unfortunately, you’ve gotta move on.
You’ve gotta find a way to come in and channel that emotion.”
That challenge starts now - and it’s a big one. BYU’s next two games are against No.
1 Arizona and No. 5 Iowa State.
Two elite opponents. Two tough environments.
And now, they’ll have to face them without one of their leaders.
The Cougars have shown resilience before. They’ve battled through shooting slumps, defensive lapses, and a brutal Big 12 schedule. But how they respond to this - losing a senior leader and emotional anchor - will define the rest of their season.
The tournament is still within reach. But to get there, and to make any kind of run once they do, BYU will have to dig deep.
No one’s replacing Richie Saunders. But if his legacy means anything to this team, it’s that toughness and heart matter just as much as talent.
And now, more than ever, BYU needs both.