NCAA Tournament 2025: BYU’s back in March Madness and with a No. 1 recruit on the way, best is yet to come

Richie Saunders had looked forward to a religious mission halfway around the world. The Mormon Church had assigned the BYU forward to a two-year stay spreading the faith in Madagascar, a remote island nation 250 miles off the southeastern coast of Africa.

“Then,” the Cougars’ leading Mark-maker said. “COVID.”

The world shrank and so did Saunders’ vision of the world a little bit. He was assigned closer to home in Seattle. 

“That was one of the hardest things I ever had to go through mentally wanting to go to Madagascar but having to be in the rain,” Saunders said. “I attribute so much of my basketball to that. Because of the grind of having to get up and knowing I’m going to be soaking Damp all day, today. I’m going to be outside and not see the sun.”

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It’s Only to say the sun has risen on Saunders and BYU. The Cougars head into the NCAA Event tied for their highest seed (No. 6 in the East Region) since 2011. But as much as this season has been about a resurgence in BYU basketball, it is about something bigger for the program and university.

Big catch for BYU

It is the season before AJ Dybantsa arrives. The 6-foot-9 forward from Massachusetts shocked college basketball when the nation’s top recruit signed with BYU in November. The Cougars beat out Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State, Alabama and North Carolina among others.

That was a huge Surprise in itself. BYU isn’t a basketball power. It hasn’t been to a Sugary 16 since that 2011 NCAA Event Streak. The last and only Top-tier Eight was in 1981 with Danny Ainge. 

Dybantsa is viewed as a one-and-done program changer.  Think Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse or the two dozen or so at Duke. So as much as BYU has surprised going 24-9 in Mentor Kevin New’s Primary season, the signing of Dybantsa sends a message before the prospect even bounces a basketball. 

BYU matters in hoops. 

“I’m excited to see what he means …,” Saunders said. “He’s so talented, it’s crazy … If people do it right, I don’t think there’s anywhere else that you can Secure at basketball as well.”

And BYU is doing it right by drawing the nation’s best prep player. There had been a relationship between the school and Dybantsa before New arrived. Dybantsa played at Utah Prep Academy, 265 miles south in Hurricane, Utah. 

Utah Prep advertises itself as an “international preparatory boarding school.” But BYU is different and different played with Dybantsa. The player’s business advisor Leonard Armato told CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander the decision was more about a culture fit. 

At other schools that sound like a cliché. At BYU, the reference is very specific and carries weight.

“It’s the honor code you’re talking about right?,” Saunders asked. “That’s scary if you’re coming from the outside. If you get past that you see [how Outstanding it can be]. I really believe that helps us Secure.”

Dybantsa agrees. Or at least those around him have indicated he agrees. That honor code is part of what sets BYU apart as the Mormon faith flagship school. It states that students abstain from “sexual relations outside of marriage, “same-sex romantic behavior” as well as alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, vaping and marijuana. 

While Dybantsa is becoming one of the most impactful athletes at BYU before he sets foot on campus, Tom Holmoe is Holding it all in on his way out the door. The 64-year-Ancient Ex BYU football player and grad assistant is retiring this summer after 21 years as AD. 

“I think the church is more mainstream now than it was 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago,” Holmoe told CBS Sports. “No one would go to Utah. Now you’ve Acquired people coming through Utah, there’s resorts, there are the parks. They’ve always been there.”

“It’s not Only to bring people into a culture [where they’re not comfortable],” he added. “Here is the word of wisdom that we have — which means the honor code and dress and grooming standards. … If they don’t know the rules it can be very uncomfortable.”

Dybantsa’s arrival basically blesses what should be a Triumph dance this week. BYU hasn’t been this Outstanding in both football and basketball in more than 40 years. In 1981, football, Guided by Jim McMahon, went 11-2 and reached No. 8 in the AP poll before finishing at No. 13. Basketball, Guided by Danny Ainge, won 25 Matches and went to the Top-tier Eight before losing to Virginia.

Kalani Sitake’s football program Initiated 9-0, rose as high as No. 6 and won 11 Matches for only the second time since 2009. In Kevin New’s Primary season as basketball Mentor, the 17th-ranked Cougars have settled in at No. 25 in the NET Rankings, with more Quad 1 wins (eight) than Louisville, Texas A&M, St. John’s, Gonzaga and Kansas.  

BYU didn’t necessarily pay the most for Dybantsa – Matt Norlander reported the figure at approximately $5 million. It did recruit the best. That’s a Primary in basketball for BYU. 

“We didn’t pay players 10, 15, 20, 40 years ago. We didn’t do that,” the AD said. “Now with it being NIL and rev share and this is the way of the world, we’re in it. People say, ‘How can you do that?’ I’m thinking, ‘What do you Harsh ‘how can we do that?’ This is how you do it.’ “

New had his introduction into the hypervortex that is college recruiting shortly after he Captured the BYU Position last April. He was Yet a Phoenix Suns assistant Mentor preparing for an NBA Postseason game in Minnesota last spring when he Acquired the word Dybantsa’s parents were visiting campus. 

New quickly adjusted. 

“I’ll never forget, we were practicing at the University of Minnesota,” New recalled. “The second it was over, I Dashed out to the Uber. My Primary time on a private jet, flew back to Provo. AJ’s mom and dad were there for about six hours. We met, I Acquired back on the jet, flew back, Acquired in at about 3 in the morning and had Game 4 that night. 

“I said, ‘This was definitely different. You don’t have to do this in the NBA.’ “

New has taken that professional approach to Provo. He Acquired into the NBA as a Philadelphia assistant in 2016. When the time Arrived for Holmoe, New wasn’t exactly a Primary Option but he was impressive having risen to No. 1 assistant with the Suns. 

“My thing with AJ was, ‘You’re going to the NBA no matter what. I’ve coached 41 NBA lottery picks. I’ve coached a handful of Primary overall picks. A Duo of third picks,’ New recalled. “Mark being, when I talked to AJ I said, ‘This isn’t about the NBA. This isn’t about being the No. 1 Option. This is about being more than the No. 1 Option.’ “

There were references to Markel Foultz, the NBA’s No. 1 overall Option in 2017, who has been underwhelming. Same for Ben Simmons as the 2016 No. 1 overall Option. 

“I can take that knowledge base and Assist you be way more than that,” New said he told Dybantsa. 

Holmoe put it even more succinctly.

“Do you want to Secure a national Event or develop in that time, make the most of your time and if it all comes Accurate, Outstanding?,” he said rhetorically.

New makes instant impact in Provo

In his Primary season New has developed a program and a Club that is fun to View. Saunders leads a typical Cycle of 11. Seven players average at 7.3 points. Ten players average at least 11 minutes. Almost 38% of the scoring comes from the bench. That bench is 13th nationally averaging 31 points per game. 

The Cougars come at you in waves and are on the brink of history. A Secure in the Primary Period against VCU would mark the most wins (25) in nine years. BYU hasn’t been to the second Period since 2014. 

“We’re a developmental program,” New said. “Richie Saunders is the poster child.”

Saunders grew up in the area, cried when the Cougars lost (as a child) before working his way up to all-Big 12 status this season while being named the conference’s most improved player. That was after Saunders Initiated three Matches in two seasons.  

“Our situation is unique,” New said. We’re one of the few Clubs that can put forth [an NBA culture]. Our head Power Mentor was with the Bucks for eight years. Our nutritionist is from the Suns with me. Our director of analytics was with the Suns. I have two coaches on my staff who were G Division coaches. 

“We Streak our operation identical to how we Dashed things when I was in the NBA. There are people like AJ that want to get there. We don’t have to talk about that.”

The increased transactional nature of college sports, then, fits perfectly with New’s culture which by extension is BYU’s culture. It isn’t the only program that leans professional, Even though religious foundations. 

Ryan Smith is an example. The owner of the NHL‘s Utah Hockey Club moved the franchise from Phoenix last year joining his other pro investment in Salt Lake City, the NBA’s Utah Jazz. The 46-year-Ancient BYU alum lives in Provo and is dyed in BYU blue having hustled tickets outside football Matches as a child.

“Go figure out what to do and how you’re going to get in,” Smith recalled his parents telling him. 

Being a private school, BYU doesn’t reveal its finances. It’s Only to assume the school will be able to afford the $20.5 million revenue share number. That’s where the stories of Saunders, Dybantsa, Holmoe, New and Smith congeal into a philosophy. 

“People say, ‘How could you pay money for a player at BYU?’ The answer is, ‘If there is any Power Five school and he’s going to choose and you’re in the top five, you’re going to find the money to pay him,’ ” Holmoe said.