Denver, CO–In the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 20, 2025, the No. 6 seed BYU Cougars secured an 80-71 victory over the No. 11 seed VCU Rams at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
BYU’s junior guard Richie Saunders led the team with 16 points, while freshman point guard Egor Demin contributed 15 points. Fousseyni Traore and Keba Keita added 13 and 9 points, respectively, with Keita also grabbing nine rebounds.
VCU’s graduate guard Zeb Jackson delivered a season-high 23 points, connecting on 9-of-14 attempts from the field, including 5-of-10 from three-point range. Graduate forward Jack Clark recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while graduate guards Max Shulga and Joe Bamisile each added 12 points.
The game was closely contested in the first half, with both teams exchanging leads. However, BYU closed the half on a 12-2 run over the final 4:31, taking a 39-28 lead into the locker room. They extended their advantage to as much as 20 points early in the second half. VCU attempted a comeback, narrowing the gap to 10 points with 9:38 remaining, but BYU maintained control to secure the win.
Top Performers
VCU: Jack Clark 7 points 4 rebounds 2 assists
Zeb Jackson 7 points 1 assist
BYU: Egor Demin 11 points 3 rebounds
Fousseyni Traore 7 points 5 rebounds 2 assists
BYU Advances After Win
This victory marked BYU’s first advancement beyond the first round since 2011. They will face No. 3 seed Wisconsin in the second round, following Wisconsin’s decisive 85-66 win over Montana.
VCU concluded their season with a 28-7 record, tying for the second-most victories in school history. This was their 20th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The game also featured a unique promotion involving Richie Saunders, the great-grandson of Ore-Ida founder and Tater Tot inventor F. “Nephi” Grigg. Ore-Ida offered free Tater Tots to fans for 30 minutes after each BYU win in March Madness, aligning with Saunders’ new NIL deal. This promotion added excitement to the stadium, with fans and teammates chanting “TATER TOTS!” as Saunders celebrated the win.
