Eric Mika sees Mag as a season changer and Saunders as cornerstone of the Cougars

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BYU forward Mawot Mag smiles after the West Virginia Mountaineers lost possession of the ball during a game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, March 1, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

Of the many coaching decisions Kevin Young has made during his debut season at BYU, none have been more impactful than when he put Mawot Mag into the starting lineup — and another big man took notice.

“It changed things up in a good way,” former Cougar Eric Mika told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “Mag brings a lot of experience. He is a great defender. He is the kind of ‘dawg’ who is willing to bark. He’s barking at the crowd. He’s getting into it with guys after the game. I thought we needed an edge.”

Mag, a 6-foot-7 senior transfer from Rutgers, started against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14 and BYU has gone 11-3 since.

“He is someone who had to wait for his chance a little bit, even though he’s a proven player,” Mika said. “So, he came in with the right chip on his shoulder that was still a benefit for the team. It wasn’t a chip like, ‘Oh, you guys are idiots! You should have been playing me!’ It was, ‘No, this is what I do, and this is how I’m going to do it.’ It set a different tone on defense. I love that move.”

Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) and BYU forward Mawot Mag (0) exchange words during game, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. BYU won 96-95. | Rick Scuteri

Richie’s rise

While Mag triggered a turning point during the season, the consistent play of junior Richie Saunders has earned Mika’s admiration.

“I think what’s been more cool than surprising is how he has remained a ‘glue guy’ (considering) he still doesn’t have stuff run for him,” Mika said. “He’s not demanding the ball. He’s not upset if he doesn’t have the most points on the team. He’s just doing what it takes to win.”

The Big 12 honored Saunders with back-to-back Player of the Week awards after the No. 23 Cougars swept Arizona State and…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/eric-mika-sees-mag-season-191236252.html

Author : Deseret News

Publish date : 2025-03-04 19:12:00

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