Four Role Players That Need to Fill the Void of Richie Saunders' Absence

The Cougars will be without Richie Saunders for the rest of the season

BYU Cougars forward Khadim Mboup (7) sinks a three-pointer against Kansas Jayhawks during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 31, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After losing star Richie Saunders to a season-ending injury, the Cougars have to rebuild a big portion of their identity on the fly. Saunders has been the heart and soul of the BYU basketball team for the last two years. The Cougars have no time to waiste: they face a pair of top 10 teams this week.

There won't be one individual player that will be able to replace Saunders' production. Instead, the Cougars will need to replace his production by committee. Here are the four role players that will need to BYU will rely on to make a splash to end the season.

1. Khadim Mboup

Richie Saundres brought a relentless motor that impacted the game both inside and outside the box score. The Cougars have struggled to rebound of late, and Saunders was one of the best rebounders on the roster.

If there is one player on the roster whose motor is most like Richie Saunders, it is Khadim Mboup. Mboup is active on defense and on the glass. Between the loss of Saunders and the lack of production from BYU's two bigs, Khadim Mboup will need to be the player that does the dirty work.

Mboup was pivotal in BYU's combeback win over Baylor. That's the version of Mboup that BYU will need down the stretch.

2. Kennard Davis

Kennard Davis averaged 16.3 points per game as a sophomore last season at Southern Illinois. Since transferring to BYU, Davis has lost some of his confidence. He is averaging 7.2 points per game. Now that Richie Saunders is out, BYU needs Kennard Davis to step up and play like he showed he was capable of last season.

Davis has shown his potential in flashes this season. It needs to be more consistent, starting this week. If BYU is going to give either Arizona or Iowa State a game, Davis needs to contribute more than he has so far this year.

Saunders had an ability to slice through a defense and get to the rim. Davis has the ability to get to the rim and finish as well - that's a skillset he will need to use more often.

3. Aleksej Kostic

Richie Saunders has been one of the best shooters in college basketball the last two years. BYU needs one of its role players to start shooting well from the three-point line. If they don't, AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright will not have room to operate.

Because of the gravity of Dybantsa and Wright, there will be plenty of open threes for players like Aleksej Kostic.

Kostic has shot 35% from three this season, but it's been a little feast or famine. Kostic has made 12 threes this season. However, he's only made threes in five games. When he gets hot, he can make a lot of shots in a hurry. When his first few shots don't fall, however, he has lost confidence quickly.

With Saunders out of the lineup, Kostic might be able to play a little more freely knowing BYU needs him to put up shots when he's open, and that Kevin Young can live with some misses.

4. Tyler Mrus

Tyler Mrus was recruited to be a floor-spacing shooter. That's exactly what he will need to be in Febuary and March. Mrus hit a pair of important threes against Colorado. He is shooting 37.5% from three this season.