BYU’s Richie Saunders Reflects on His Connection With Kevin Young
NEWARK, N.J. – Richie Saunders has emerged as a key figure for BYU basketball this season.
Once considered a “glue guy” during his first two seasons with the Cougars, the Riverton native and former Wasatch Academy standout has blossomed this season into a First Team All-Big 12 player and the recipient of the league’s “Most Improved Player” award.
Last week, Saunders had a standout performance, scoring 25 points and grabbing seven rebounds to help BYU defeat No. 3 seed Wisconsin, sending them to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011.
Richie Saunders is gaining attention both on and off the court
Recently, Saunders has gained national attention for his family ties, being the great-grandson of the man who invented tater tots, earning him the nickname “Tater Tot King” or “Heir Richie.” However, his on-court play has been drawing significant attention as well.
Saunders is now gearing up to lead BYU into the Sweet 16, where they will face No. 2 Alabama Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark.
It’s been a remarkable year for Saunders.
But the season began with him in the transfer portal last April.
After former head coach Mark Pope left for Kentucky, BYU went through a period of uncertainty, and Saunders entered the portal due to the program’s instability.
After attracting attention from Kentucky and other programs, Saunders ultimately returned to BYU to play under new head coach Kevin Young.
Saunders is averaging 16.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, with career-best shooting percentages of 51% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc.
This raises the question: What about Kevin Young’s system has brought out the best in Saunders?
Saunders on Kevin Young: “He just challenged me.”
Richie Saunders appeared on “Hans & Scotty G.” on KSL Sports Zone to share his thoughts on this.
“I was in the portal, watching film with Coach Young, and right away, he challenged me,” Saunders told Hans & Scotty G. “He set some challenges for me. From that moment, I knew he believed in me and could help me reach higher levels.”
This season, Saunders has been a reliable scorer for BYU, with 12 games in which he scored at least 20 points. He has stepped up as the veteran leader BYU needed during a foundational season under Kevin Young.
It hasn’t always been easy. BYU faced a weak nonconference schedule, which didn’t provide much of a test, and during that stretch, they dealt with injuries to key players.
They began Big 12 play with a 2-4 record. During this period, Saunders solidified himself as BYU’s go-to player
“When Egor (Demin) got injured with a knee contusion, and then with a couple of other injuries, I just had to figure out how to get through that,” Saunders said. “That’s how it all shaped up.”
BYU has won 11 of its last 12 games
Clearly, Saunders figured things out, becoming one of the Big 12’s most efficient players this season. As a team, BYU enters the second weekend of the tournament as one of the hottest teams in college basketball, having won 11 of their last 12 games.
“I take my past two seasons, and combining that with what I’ve learned, it led me to this point,” said Saunders. “It’s all about continuing to grow and evolve. I hope young kids hear that – just keep evolving, taking it one step at a time, and if you do that long enough, good things will happen.”
BYU vs. Alabama
Regional Semifinals – 2025 NCAA Tournament
Location: Newark, New Jersey
Arena: Prudential Center
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
Tip-Off: 5:09 p.m. (MDT)/7:09 p.m. (EDT)
TV: CBS
