IRVING, Texas – BYU’s Richie Saunders has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday afternoon.
Saunders earns the honor for the first time this season and third time in his career after leading the Cougars to wins over Arizona State and Utah where he averaged 27.5 point and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 65.5 percent from the field, 53.3 percent from three and 75.0 percent from the free throw line.
The 6-foot-5 guard scored a career-high 31 points in BYU’s 104-76 victory over the Sun Devils where he went 10-of-13 from the field, 6-of-8 from behind the arc and made all five of his free throw attempts. He also had eight rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.
In three meetings against the Sun Devils since joining the Big 12, Saunders is averaging 29.0 points per game while shooting 62.0 percent from the field, 60.0 percent from three and 77.8 percent from the free throw line.
RICHIE SAUNDERS vs Utah
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 11, 2026
24 PTS | 14 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL pic.twitter.com/95Q5XTDAYQ
He followed that up with his second double-double of the season and third of his career at Utah finishing with 24 points and 14 rebounds, six of those coming on the offensive glass. He scored 17 of those points in the second half going 6-of-7 from the field, 1-of-2 from three and 4-of-7 from the free throw line as the senior picked up his first-ever win over the Utes at the Huntsman Center.
Saunders and the Cougars return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 14, when they host TCU at the Marriott Center. Tip is scheduled for 9 p.m. MT on ESPN2.