BYU basketball star Richie Saunders is done for the season.
Saunders’ college career is likely over after he suffered a torn ACL during the Cougars’ 90-86 overtime victory against Colorado on Saturday, BYU announced. Saunders was averaging nearly 19 points per game and on pace to have his best statistical season.
“It sucked the life out of the gym, if I’m being honest,” head coach Kevin Young said of Saunders’ injury. “You never want to see an injury to any player, but definitely not to somebody who is the heart and soul of our team. Bleeds BYU blue. I just didn’t like seeing it.”
The Cougars, a preseason top-10 team with dreams of a deep NCAA Tournament run, are now without one of their top three players.
BYU still has potential top NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright on the roster — who combined for nearly 60 points against the Buffs — but the depth behind Saunders is a significant question.
“It’s definitely hard,” Dybantsa said. “He brings so much shot making, so much offensive rebounding, so much defensive rebounding. He was just our vocal leader. A vet on the team.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) takes the ball up the middle as Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) defends in BIG 12 basketball action between the BYU Cougars and the Houston Cougars at the Marriott Center on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.
Saunders solidified his place in BYU history last year after becoming just the third player in the last 40 years to bring the Cougars to the Sweet 16. The two others were Jimmer Fredette and Danny Ainge.
From nearby Riverton, Utah, Saunders elected to stay at BYU instead of transferring to Kentucky when former coach Mark Pope left for Lexington. In doing so, he went from a reserve player to one of the best shotmakers in the country.
He averaged 16 points a game last year — including scoring 25 to beat Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Instead of going to the NBA, he came back for one more year to lead the trio of Dybantsa, Wright and Saunders.
He also became the darling of the NCAA Tournament for his Tater Tot backstory. His great-grandfather invented the fried snack and his face was plastered on marketing campaigns last spring.
Saunders will likely be drafted this summer by an NBA team. He finished his career with 1,544 points and shot 38% from three. He is eighth in program history in three-pointers made and first in plus-minus.