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Show 'BIRD SPORTS Saunders has been an important role player for SU By BREIT JEWKES OF THE SPORTS MEDIA RELATIONS STAFF Last Saturday, Vic Saunders played his final game in the Centrum before what he calls the "greatest teammates, coaches and fans" anywhere around. It's in that statement, not in the nine points he scored, that gives the best description of what Saunders, and his three years in the Thunderbird program, were all about. He genuinely cares about people and he cares about SUU basketball. Look at the Louisville, Ky., native's statistics over the last three years and nothing will really jump out at you. He's been what they call a "role player." Someone that gets spot minutes either at critical stages of games or at the end when the outcome is all but decided. Yes, he has had some big moments. He made all of his shots and finished with 11 huge points (a careerhigh) in SUU's win in the American West Conference championship game last spring. When Donnie McDade injured an ankle in practice before last year's game at Dayton, Saunders stepped up an delivered eight big points in the first half. That kept SUU in it early in front a huge crowd and the 'Birds went on to win. While the numbers Saunders has put up won't bowl anyone over, his contributions to the program away from the court are the stuff stars are made of. No one has hosted more recruits when they come on campus visits. No one has been prouder in airports to tell people curious of the Thunderbird entourage that it was from Southern Utah University. No one has been more willing to speak to kids or spend time with the disadvantag~d. No one more than Vic Saunders. Oh yeah, he's the team barber, too. "He's a great big teddy bear," says Assistant Coach Louis Wilson. "He cares about everybody and really hurts for people when things are going well for them." Saunders says he's guilty of "wearing his heart on his sleeve," but adds "that's how it's always been and probably how it will always be." Southern Utah is the third school Saunders' college basketball career has seen. He signed out of Louisville's Waggener High School with Morehead coach still wanted Saunders at Morehead so he enrolled not knowing a whole lot about it was going to be like. After he got a year of school under his belt, Saunders decided the new regime at Morehead wasn't what he wanted so he contacted Wabash Valley Junior College in Illinois and Coach Pat Smith, who had recruited the 6-6, forward before he signed with Morehead. Smith was still very interested and Saunders headed for WVJC. While there, Saunders helped his team to a 27-12 record, the Illinois State JC championship and a 9thplace finish at the NJCAA Tournament. It was at the national tournament that interest from SUU and assistant coaches Bob Lowe and Kevin Bromley peaked. Saunders made a visit to Central Connecticut and didn't like it. He made a visit to Cedar City and the small college town atmosphere and the birth of some immediate friendships sealed the deal for Saunders. He committed on his visit. "I wanted to have my college basketball experience in a place where people and especially the coaches cared about you as a person,'' says Saunders. "That's what I found here on my visit and nothing has happened to change my mind." With the days of his collegiate playing experience getting very short, Saunders reflects that the ~ Thunderbirds' undefeated romp through the AWC ::i and the dramatic championship win in the g conference tournament last year are the biggest i:: basketball highlights of his experience. "Playing here has been a great thing for me, but ~ it's been great because it's given me the opportunity !:l to meet a lot of people that will be life-long friends," i:: says Saunders. The night of the championship win, Saunders' heart was definitely on his sleeve. So were a ton of tears. While pandemonium broke out on the floor, Saunders cried almost uncontrollably. It was at that moment that Vic Saunders' career was defined for many closely involved with the team. There was something to take note of. Statistics never reflect how much a player cares or how much he's contributed- even on a career night. g Vic Saunders in action last night in Sacramento. State in Kentucky and appeared destined for a solid career in his home state. His odyssey to Cedar City started then. After he signed, Morehead made a coaching change and Saunders was designated as an academic nonqualifier, meaning he would have to sit out his freshman year to concentrate on school. The new 'Bird tennis team Diatnondmen face off with Pacific back on the road Southern Utah University's women's tennis team heads back to California this weekend for three matches. The Thunderbirds will take on Long Beach State tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., Cal State Fullerton Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and wrap up the trip on Monday against the University of California at Irvine at 1:30 p.m. (PST). Tomorrow's meeting with Long Beach State will mark the fourth time the two teams have squared off against one another. The 49ers lead the series 3-0, including a 9-0 win last season over the Thunderbirds SUU and Cal State Fullerton have met two times in lhe past with the Titan:. holding a 2 0 advanugc. CS Fullerton picked up an 8-1 wm over the T-Birdi. last season. Monday':. meetmg with UC Irvine will mark the first time the two teams have squared off agatn<,t one another. "Long Beach State and Fullerton are prctly equal, they are also in the same conference These two matches will be a good test and will bring our level up," said Head Coach Lenny Lee " Hopefully we will play competitively. Irvme 1s coming off of an off year last season, but they will be tough. Irvine will play UCLA before playing us, so that may help us out a little. What I'm looking for this weekend is to get some match play in because you can only <lo so much in practice, tennis is a game where you have to raise your level of play every time out to be successful." I Southern Utah 's and Pacific's baseball teams will get to know each other quite well over the next two weeks. The two teams begin a six-game homeand-home series today with a double-header scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Billy Hebert Field. The teams then play a single game tomorrow before a three-game series in Cedar City, March 1-2. The Thunderbirds (2-8) are coming off a weekend series with Brigham Young. SUU lost the first game Friday, 9- l, before splitting a double-header Saturday, winning the opener, 5-4, before allowing the Cougars to come back in the top of the seventh in the second game for a 9-6 win Pac1hc 1s riding a four-game wining streak and carries a 6-3 record mto the weekend senes. SUU is 2-16 all-time against the Tigers Pacific won five of six contests between the two last year, including all four played at Hebert Field. The T-Birds took n 4.3 win to split a double-header in Ced r City last year. As a team, SUU is hitting .261, with i. .371 sluggmg mark and an on-base percentage of .351. Opponcnt1o are hitting .347 and slugging .544. UOP plar.ed an exhibition game against the Canadian National Team Tuei.day, the eighth game of an 11-game home stand which concludes with the SUU series. The current Pacific winning streak includes a three-game series sweep over Washington State and a win over Oregon State. The Tigers' three losses have come at the hands of Oregon State (twice) and Chico State. UOP also has two wins over Cal State Hayward. As has been the tradition under Coach Quincy Noble, the Tiger pitchers have performed well this season. No pitcher has an ERA over 4.0 and two of three starters are under 2.15 as the team ERA is a sterling 2.36. Relievers Darin Moore (RH, Fr.) and Lance Hedquist (RH, Sr.) lead the way with 0.00 and 1.1 7 marks, while Jason Flach (RH, Sr.} and Ron Lewis (RH, Sr.) lead the starters with 2-0 records and respective 1 93 and 2.14 ERAs. l'OP opponents are hitting JU<;t .214 At the plate, the Tigers arc hitting .286 as a team and are outscoring opponents by an average of 4.73.2. Lewis, who plays m the Tiger outfield v. hen he isn't on the mound, leads the team wtt.h a .394 average, while OF/DH Shane Rooney ( 368) SS Matt Nelson (.345] and lB Gus Rubio 314) re all hitting over .300. Rubio leads the team in RBI (eight) and total bases (21) and is ued with three players for the team HR lead with two "As usual, Pacific has some great p1tchrng 2gain this year. Quincy always seems to come up with outstanding pitchers," said Head Coach Jeff Scholzen. "They also hit the ball well and play sound fundamental baseball." |
