The good news just keeps on coming. Fresh off the back of Kenneth Davis Jr.’s commitment to BYU, Richie Saunders took to Instagram to announce his own decision on Saturday: a return to BYU for his senior season.
With a skillset that certainly translates to the NBA, Saunders understandably took his time to make the decision, doing so just a few hours before the NBA Draft early entry deadline. His return is as impactful as any commitment the Cougars will land this offseason. While he might not bring the eyeballs to Provo that AJ Dybantsa does, make no mistake, BYU will go as far as Richie takes them.
A First-Team All-Big 12 member, Saunders had a break out season in 2024-2025, averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He brought elite efficiency too, shooting 51.8% from the field and 43.2% from 3 on over five attempts per game.
And the moment is never too big for the sharpshooter either. He hit the game winning free throws in the final seconds on the road at Arizona, and came up with a huge 3 in the final minute against Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament. In the NCAA tournament, Saunders rose to the occasion once again, leading the Cougars with 22 points per game on almost 60% shooting. Defensively, Richie might be BYU's best on ball defender, and will certainly be the first to the floor to capture a loose ball.
His return makes BYU not just a contender, but one of the favorites to win the Big 12 next season. The duo of Saunders and Dybantsa may just be the best pairing to watch in all of College Basketball. With some other key returns such as Keba Keita and Dawson Baker, and transfers Rob Wright III, Dominique Diomande, and Kenneth Davis Jr., the Cougars will be looking for an even deeper March run next year, with the Final Four and a National Championship being the goal, not just a dream.
Quick trigger 3s are back. Floaters are back. Tater tots are back. With Richie Saunders back, the sky is the limit and BYU might just be loading up its most anticipated season ever.