Yesterday, the Cincinnati Bearcats loss to SEC bottom feeder Vanderbilt Commodores, 78-64. Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen, Jr. put on a hell of a performance for the Fifth Third Arena crowd scoring a career high 36 points. It was a winnable game for Cincinnati and the loss sent the fanbase into a tizzy again and for a program that isn’t use to being mediocre during the regular season.
Nobody likes being under .500 on the season, but last night something bigger than the win or loss happened on the Bearcats side of things as freshman point guard Mike Saunders, Jr. hurt his left ankle or foot before halftime. With David DeJulius opted out for the season, Saunders, Jr. had been logging more minutes the last two games averaging 31 minutes. During the last two games prior until yesterday’s game, he averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals on 60.0% from the field and 42.9% from three. Saunders, Jr. showing improvement from three is huge even in a small sample size because his speed, quickness and athleticism it will allow his game to expand. In last night’s game he logged 17 minutes in the first half and while his stat line wasn’t spectacular, not being able to play the second half made it tougher on the guards because of the already shortened rotation because of the lack of players.
Of course #BearcatNation wants this program to win, as I do too, but after Thursday’s nights loss, I’m most concerned with Saunders, Jr. ankle/foot injury I saw the guard in a boot and on crutches after the game. He is apart of the core that needs all the live reps it can get for the remaining games this season and it looks like one of its bright spots will be in limbo until next year.
