Richie Saunders wrecks ASU in BYU's Big 12 opening win

BYU Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) shoots the ball while guarded by Arizona State Sun Devils guard Adam Miller (44) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.

Kevin Young fared far better than his predecessor in his Big 12 debut as BYU took care of business in a 76-56 win over Arizona State on New Year’s Eve at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars lost to Cincinnati in Provo a year ago but went on to finish fifth in the Big 12 in a week when four league teams pulled off road wins in the season opener.

On this night, and in coming days, Young will need his veterans from that Mark Pope team to step up and deliver.

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He got exactly that Tuesday night when Richie Saunders exploded for a career-high 30 points.

ASU had no answer for Saunders, the human whirlwind.

Riding his traditional atomic energy effort, he knocked down 6 of 11 shots from distance and made 11 of 18 from the field. His hustle kept ASU on its collective heels as he consistently drove across the defense and finished with either hand at the rim. This he did against the nation’s No. 5-ranked shot-blocking squad.

“That dude was a walking flamethrower out there,” his teammate Dallin Hall told BYU Radio afterwards. “When he gets going downhill, he’s hard to stop.”

The win elevated the Cougars to 10-2 on the season and 1-0 in league play. It also gave the Cougars a much-needed Quad 2 win heading into a road trip to No. 14 ranked Houston, who beat Oklahoma State and stands 9-3 on the season.

Young will need efforts from Saunders like those witnessed today when BYU plays Houston on Saturday.

Freshman superstar guard Egor Demin struggled in his comeback from a knee injury in early December. He was sloppy with some one-handed passes that turned into both turnovers and ASU buckets on Tuesday.

Part of the problem could be the month-long layoff, but some of it might be Demin pressing a bit with NBA scouts showing up to his games like Taylor Swift groupies. There were plenty in attendance at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, joining an impressive holiday crowd of 16,926.

Demin was a frosty 0-5 from the 3-point line in what Young said were some “rushed” shots. Young credited his Russian rookie for opening the floor for his offense and a gob of wide open 3-point shots.

The Cougars were 10 of 31 from distance for a 31% mark. The team’s most accurate bomber, Trevin Knell, was 0 for 2 from long range, but freshman Kanon Catchings made up for it with a 3 of 7 finish.

What stood out from this league opener was the fact that Young has elevated his team’s defensive effectiveness. He’s getting far better execution with his change ups of zone and man. The communication and switches are better, and the 10-rebound advantage over a tall and physical ASU team proved crucial.

There is little question Young needs Saunders to continue to be a maniac in gym shoes, dishing out chaos and disruption on one end, and quick, aggressive offense on the other. Right now, Saunders is BYU’s most effective player and by far its best hustler.

Young needs Knell and Dawson Baker’s experience to elevate. They need to be contributors off the bench and deliver clean play and points.

The addition of Utah transfer Keba Keita is significant for Young. Keita’s athleticism (10 rebounds, 9 points) is a huge asset for the Cougars heading into Big 12 battles.

Teams are going to go after Fousseyni Traore, clamp down and attack him in the post when he receives the ball. Keita is a different look and his muscle play gives as much as he takes. This one-two punch from the pair from Mali is fun to watch.

Dallin Hall only scored 3 points in this win, but he handled the ball well when Demin was both in and out of the game.

Catchings is kind of an X-factor for Young. He can explode with points like he did in BYU’s last game with 21 points against Florida A&M. While he had 11 points on 4 of 9 shooting, he is a key weapon for Young, who is settling in on his main eight players and playing time.

The bottom line from the opener is BYU gave up a 16-point lead before half, but came out with a 9-0 run in the second period and led ASU from start to finish in this game.

ASU tried to copy Providence and attack BYU with physical play. It didn’t work. But look for Houston to attack Demin and get him hurried up and frustrated. If he can manage the storm, this will be a step forward for the Cougars and their new guy.

In a few words, the Cougars played a little sloppily but pocketed a blowout, marking the sixth-straight win over the Sun Devils in the Marriott Center.

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