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Richie Saunders scores career-high 30 as BYU rolls to 76-56 victory over Arizona State

AP
Dec 31, 2024

PROVO, Utah (AP) Richie Saunders scored a career-high 30 points and BYU cruised to a 76-56 victory over Arizona State on Tuesday in a Big 12 Conference opener.

Saunders made 11 of 18 shots with a career-best six 3-pointers and 2 of 3 free throws for the Cougars (10-2), who have won four in a row. He is the first BYU player to score 30 since Alex Barcello had 33 nearly three years ago.

Kanon Catchings buried three from 3-point range and scored 11 for BYU. Keba Keita had nine points and 10 rebounds.

BJ Freeman had 11 points to lead the Sun Devils (9-3).

Saunders made three 3-pointers and scored 13 to help BYU take a 31-26 advantage into halftime. He scored eight as the Cougars jumped out to an 11-2 lead and his 3-pointer off a fast break gave them an 18-4 advantage in the first 8:19. Arizona State shot just 32.3% and missed 13 of 15 from 3-point range in falling behind at the intermission.

Saunders hit a 3-pointer and Keita had baskets at both ends of a 9-0 run as BYU upped its lead to 12 in the first three minutes of the second half. The Cougars led by double digits from there.

BYU travels to play No. 14 Houston on Saturday. Arizona State will host Colorado on Saturday.

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1st Half
ASU
Sun Devils
26
BYU
Cougars
31

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Adam Miller vs. Dallin Hall (Cougars gains possession)
19:43		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
19:41		BJ Freeman defensive rebound
19:14		Keba Keita blocks Basheer Jihad's two point jump shot
19:12		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
19:07	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	0-3
18:43		Jayden Quaintance misses two point jump shot
18:41		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
18:16		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
18:14		Dallin Hall offensive rebound
18:09	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	0-5
17:52		Basheer Jihad misses three point jump shot
17:50		Cougars defensive rebound
17:25		Adam Miller personal foul
17:09		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass) (BJ Freeman steals)
17:04	+2	Jayden Quaintance makes two point dunk (BJ Freeman assists)	2-5
16:48		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
16:46		Adam Miller defensive rebound
16:46		Keba Keita personal foul
16:22		Jayden Quaintance turnover (lost ball) (Richie Saunders steals)
16:04		BJ Freeman personal foul
16:00	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	2-8
15:36		Basheer Jihad misses two point jump shot
15:34		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
15:28	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	2-11
15:02		Basheer Jihad turnover (out of bounds)
15:02		TV timeout
14:46		Kanon Catchings turnover (traveling)
14:27		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
14:25		Egor Demin defensive rebound
14:18		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
14:16		Keba Keita offensive rebound
14:07		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
14:05		Basheer Jihad defensive rebound
13:55		Basheer Jihad misses three point jump shot
13:53		BJ Freeman offensive rebound
13:45		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
13:43		Jayden Quaintance offensive rebound
13:30	+2	Jayden Quaintance makes two point layup (BJ Freeman assists)	4-11
13:12		Basheer Jihad shooting foul (Richie Saunders draws the foul)
13:12		Richie Saunders misses regular free throw 1 of 3
13:12	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 2 of 3	4-12
13:12	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 3 of 3	4-13
12:48		Jayden Quaintance misses three point jump shot
12:46		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
12:22		Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
12:20		Cougars offensive rebound
12:15		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
12:13		Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound
12:09	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup	4-15
11:49		Jayden Quaintance misses three point jump shot
11:47		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
11:41	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	4-18
11:36		Sun Devils 30 second timeout
11:36		TV timeout
11:20		Adam Miller misses three point jump shot
11:18		Shawn Phillips Jr. offensive rebound
11:13		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
11:11		Jayden Quaintance offensive rebound
11:07	+2	Jayden Quaintance makes two point jump shot	6-18
10:51		Shawn Phillips Jr. personal foul
10:32		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
10:30		Sun Devils defensive rebound
10:30		Mawot Mag personal foul
10:05	+2	Adam Miller makes two point jump shot	8-18
9:52		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
9:50		Adam Miller defensive rebound
9:50		Mawot Mag personal foul
9:38	+2	Basheer Jihad makes two point jump shot	10-18
9:21		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
9:19		Basheer Jihad defensive rebound
9:12		Basheer Jihad turnover (lost ball) (Dallin Hall steals)
8:55	+3	Dallin Hall makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	10-21
8:21		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
8:19		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
7:51		Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
7:49		Keba Keita offensive rebound
7:48	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup	10-23
7:48		Basheer Jihad shooting foul (Keba Keita draws the foul)
7:48		TV timeout
7:48	+1	Keba Keita makes regular free throw 1 of 1	10-24
7:28		Amier Ali misses three point jump shot
7:26		Keba Keita defensive rebound
7:15		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
7:13		BJ Freeman defensive rebound
6:56		Joson Sanon misses three point jump shot
6:54		Egor Demin defensive rebound
6:46	+2	Kanon Catchings makes two point dunk (Dawson Baker assists)	10-26
6:17	+3	BJ Freeman makes three point jump shot (Alston Mason assists)	13-26
5:59		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
5:57		Joson Sanon defensive rebound
5:50	+2	BJ Freeman makes two point layup (Joson Sanon assists)	15-26
5:29		Egor Demin misses two point jump shot
5:27		Shawn Phillips Jr. defensive rebound
5:17		Alston Mason misses two point jump shot
5:15		Alston Mason offensive rebound
5:12		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
5:10		Keba Keita defensive rebound
4:57		Cougars 30 second timeout
4:42		Kanon Catchings misses two point jump shot
4:40		Joson Sanon defensive rebound
4:36	+2	Joson Sanon makes two point jump shot	17-26
4:17	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	17-29
4:04		Richie Saunders blocks Alston Mason's two point jump shot
4:02		Sun Devils offensive rebound
4:02		TV timeout
3:59		Trevin Knell personal foul
3:51		BJ Freeman misses two point jump shot
3:49		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
3:37		Dawson Baker turnover (lost ball) (Adam Miller steals)
3:31	+3	Alston Mason makes three point jump shot (Adam Miller assists)	20-29
3:16		Fousseyni Traore turnover (lost ball) (Alston Mason steals)
3:03		Alston Mason misses two point layup
3:01		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
2:51		Fousseyni Traore misses two point jump shot
2:49		BJ Freeman defensive rebound
2:34		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
2:32		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
2:10	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point layup	20-31
1:49	+2	Joson Sanon makes two point jump shot	22-31
1:36		Trevin Knell turnover (traveling)
1:15		Adam Miller misses two point jump shot
1:13		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
0:57		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
0:55		BJ Freeman defensive rebound
0:33		Trey Stewart shooting foul (Basheer Jihad draws the foul)
0:33	+1	Basheer Jihad makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-31
0:33	+1	Basheer Jihad makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-31
0:15		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
0:13		Sun Devils defensive rebound
0:06		Elijah Crawford shooting foul (Alston Mason draws the foul)
0:06	+1	Alston Mason makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-31
0:06	+1	Alston Mason makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-31
0:04		Joson Sanon personal foul
0:02		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
ASU
Sun Devils
30
BYU
Cougars
45

Time		Play	Score
19:45		Jayden Quaintance turnover (lost ball) (Dallin Hall steals)
19:37		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
19:35		Keba Keita offensive rebound
19:30	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup	26-33
19:18		Jayden Quaintance turnover (bad pass)
19:00	+2	Egor Demin makes two point layup	26-35
18:35		BJ Freeman turnover (lost ball) (Kanon Catchings steals)
18:30		Dallin Hall misses two point layup
18:28		Dallin Hall offensive rebound
18:23	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	26-38
18:20		Sun Devils 30 second timeout
18:20		TV timeout
17:59		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
17:57		Jayden Quaintance offensive rebound
17:57		Kanon Catchings personal foul
17:55		Basheer Jihad turnover (lost ball) (Egor Demin steals)
17:50		Keba Keita misses two point layup
17:48		Cougars offensive rebound
17:48		Jump ball. (Cougars gains possession)
17:43		Keba Keita turnover (lost ball) (Alston Mason steals)
17:38		Alston Mason misses two point layup
17:36		Egor Demin defensive rebound
17:36		BJ Freeman personal foul
17:26		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
17:24		Keba Keita offensive rebound
17:23		Jayden Quaintance personal foul
17:05	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Dallin Hall assists)	26-40
16:48	+2	Jayden Quaintance makes two point jump shot (Joson Sanon assists)	28-40
16:29		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
16:27		Jayden Quaintance defensive rebound
16:03	+2	Adam Miller makes two point layup (BJ Freeman assists)	30-40
15:52		TV timeout
15:46	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Egor Demin assists)	30-42
15:34		Joson Sanon turnover (bad pass) (Egor Demin steals)
15:26	+2	Egor Demin makes two point dunk	30-44
15:11	+2	Joson Sanon makes two point jump shot	32-44
14:53		Alston Mason shooting foul (Trevin Knell draws the foul)
14:53	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-45
14:53	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-46
14:29		Adam Miller misses two point jump shot
14:27		Keba Keita defensive rebound
14:10	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup	32-48
13:45		Joson Sanon misses two point jump shot
13:43		Keba Keita defensive rebound
13:34	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Egor Demin assists)	32-50
13:13	+3	Amier Ali makes three point jump shot (Adam Miller assists)	35-50
13:13		Trevin Knell shooting foul (Amier Ali draws the foul)
13:13	+1	Amier Ali makes regular free throw 1 of 1	36-50
12:57		Richie Saunders misses two point layup
12:55		Keba Keita offensive rebound
12:52	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup	36-52
12:46		Adam Miller misses three point jump shot
12:44		Adam Miller offensive rebound
12:33		Joson Sanon misses three point jump shot
12:31		Egor Demin defensive rebound
12:18		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball) (Amier Ali steals)
11:52	+2	Joson Sanon makes two point jump shot	38-52
11:52		TV timeout
11:31		Joson Sanon shooting foul (Trevin Knell draws the foul)
11:31		Trevin Knell misses regular free throw 1 of 3
11:31	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 2 of 3	38-53
11:31	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 3 of 3	38-54
11:07		Joson Sanon misses three point jump shot
11:05		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
10:55	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	38-56
10:27	+3	Alston Mason makes three point jump shot	41-56
9:57		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
9:55		Amier Ali defensive rebound
9:48		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
9:46		Jayden Quaintance offensive rebound
9:42		Dawson Baker shooting foul (Amier Ali draws the foul)
9:42		Amier Ali misses regular free throw 1 of 3
9:42	+1	Amier Ali makes regular free throw 2 of 3	42-56
9:42	+1	Amier Ali makes regular free throw 3 of 3	43-56
9:24		Amier Ali personal foul
9:17	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	43-59
8:44		Shawn Phillips Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Dawson Baker steals)
8:44		Jump ball. Dawson Baker vs. Basheer Jihad (Sun Devils gains possession)
8:44		Dawson Baker turnover (lost ball) (Basheer Jihad steals)
8:35		Adam Miller misses two point jump shot
8:33		Keba Keita defensive rebound
8:32		Basheer Jihad personal foul
8:28		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
8:04		Kanon Catchings personal foul
7:55		Amier Ali misses three point jump shot
7:53		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
7:47		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass) (Amier Ali steals)
7:42	+2	Amier Ali makes two point dunk	45-59
7:40		Amier Ali technical foul
7:40		Bobby Hurley technical foul
7:40		TV timeout
7:40		Dawson Baker misses technical free throw 1 of 2
7:40	+1	Dawson Baker makes technical free throw 2 of 2	45-60
7:40	+1	Dawson Baker makes technical free throw 1 of 2	45-61
7:40	+1	Dawson Baker makes technical free throw 2 of 2	45-62
7:29	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	45-65
7:17		Dawson Baker shooting foul (Alston Mason draws the foul)
7:17		Alston Mason misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:17	+1	Alston Mason makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-65
6:56	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point dunk (Dawson Baker assists)	46-67
6:34		Adam Miller turnover (bad pass)
6:21		Fousseyni Traore turnover (lost ball) (Adam Miller steals)
6:08	+3	BJ Freeman makes three point jump shot (Alston Mason assists)	49-67
5:41	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup	49-69
5:23		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
5:21		Dallin Hall defensive rebound
5:11		Dallin Hall turnover (lost ball) (Joson Sanon steals)
5:06		Kanon Catchings blocks Adam Miller's two point layup
5:04		Alston Mason offensive rebound
4:58		BJ Freeman misses three point jump shot
4:56		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
4:51		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
4:49		Joson Sanon defensive rebound
4:37		Sun Devils 60 second timeout
4:22		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
4:20		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
3:56		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
3:54		Dallin Hall offensive rebound
3:51		Jump ball. (Cougars gains possession)
3:51		TV timeout
3:34		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
3:32		Richie Saunders offensive rebound
3:18		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
2:55	+3	BJ Freeman makes three point jump shot (Jayden Quaintance assists)	52-69
2:24		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
2:22		Richie Saunders offensive rebound
2:08		Shawn Phillips Jr. personal foul (Fousseyni Traore draws the foul)
2:08		Fousseyni Traore misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:08		Jayden Quaintance defensive rebound
2:03		Alston Mason turnover (bad pass)
1:49		Egor Demin turnover (lost ball) (Jayden Quaintance steals)
1:43	+2	Basheer Jihad makes two point layup	54-69
1:18	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Fousseyni Traore assists)	54-72
1:05		Adam Miller turnover (lost ball) (Fousseyni Traore steals)
0:59	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point layup (Richie Saunders assists)	54-74
0:57		Sun Devils 30 second timeout
0:38		Alston Mason misses three point jump shot
0:36		Shawn Phillips Jr. offensive rebound
0:32		Shawn Phillips Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Mawot Mag steals)
0:28	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point layup	54-76
0:12	+2	Shawn Phillips Jr. makes two point dunk (Alston Mason assists)	56-76
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Shawn Phillips Jr. makes two point dunk (Alston Mason assists)