Richie Saunders injury update: BYU guard to miss remainder of season with torn ACL

BYU guard Richie Saunders will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season due to a torn ACL, the school announced Sunday. Saunders suffered the season-ending injury in the opening moments of BYU’s win over Colorado on Saturday.

Saunders is in his fourth season with BYU and has no eligibility remaining. He was having an excellent campaign for the Cougars, averaging a career-high 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 48.9% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc.

“To end my BYU career like this is heartbreaking,” Saunders wrote in a post on Instagram. “I’ve loved every moment and every challenge that came with representing the school I love. These past four years have shaped who I am — on and off the court.

“Cougar Nation, thank you. Through the ups and downs, you’ve stuck with me. I’ll never forget that. My story has never been one of ease. And while I didn’t plan for this, my career is not over. I will return with more fight and more grit than before. My goals haven’t changed.”

With a smooth jumper at 6-foot-5, Saunders is a legitimate NBA prospect. In ESPN’s latest NBA Draft big board, Jeremy Woo named Saunders the No. 40 prospect in 2026 NBA Draft.

While BYU escaped Saturday with a win, it is 2-4 in its last six games. In fairness, three of those four losses were against top-15 opponents. Nonetheless, the Cougars must rediscover their rhythm if they hope to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Saunders’ injury will only make circumstances more difficult for BYU. Cougars head coach Kevin Young hasn’t shied away in the past from emphasizing Saunders’ importance to the team.

“He’s as talented as any wing in the country. I really believe that,” Young said of Sanders in January. “I’ve been steadfast about my opinion of him. He’s made of the right stuff. He can shoot the ball, he competes.

“He’s got to, sometimes, compete less and think more on the defensive end. I think that’s growth for him. But yes, it is what I expected, and he’s answered the call so far.”

With the road to recovery ahead, Richie Saunders will have to respond to his most difficult challenge yet. On Wednesday, BYU will play its first game this season without Saunders when it squares off against Arizona at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air live on ESPN.