GOOD NEWS :, BYU’s men’s basketball team received announce a boost with the return of two key players: freshman welcome back …read more

As of December 30, 2024, BYU’s men’s basketball team received a boost with the return of two key players: freshman guard Egor Demin and sophomore forward Richie Saunders. Both were cleared to play in the Cougars’ conference opener against Arizona State on December 31, 2024. 

Demin had been sidelined since December 3 due to a knee contusion sustained during a game against Providence. Prior to his injury, he was leading the team with averages of 13.3 points and 5.8 assists per game, shooting an impressive 49.2% from the field. 

Saunders suffered a concussion on December 14 during a game against Wyoming, which caused him to miss the subsequent matchup against Florida A&M. Before his injury, Saunders was averaging 12.3 points per game and had a 40% success rate from three-point range. 

Their return was timely, as BYU began its Big 12 conference play, starting with the game against Arizona State. Despite their absence, the Cougars had maintained strong performance, winning three consecutive games by an average margin of 31 points. The reintegration of Demin and Saunders was expected to further strengthen the team’s competitiveness in the challenging conference schedule ahead. 

Additionally, guard Dallin Hall also made a return from injury earlier in the season, expressing his readiness to contribute to the team’s efforts. 

As of March 14, 2025, no new injury updates have been reported for the BYU men’s basketball team, indicating that key players like Demin and Saunders have remained healthy and active since their return.