University of Southern Indiana Athletics

2024-25: Started 32 games in 34 appearances as a junior...averaged a team-high 32.9 minutes per game...third on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per contest...pulled down 3.7 rebounds per outing...led the team with 157 assists (1st in OVC) and 4.6 per game (2nd in OVC)...was first USI player to record 100-plus assists in back-to-back seasons since Randa Harshbarger (2016-18)...was third in the OVC in assist/turnover ratio (1.5)...totaled 12 games with six or more assists during the season, including four games with eight assists...also topped the squad with 87 steals (1st in OVC) and 2.6 takeaways per contest (2nd in OVC)...ranked first in conference-only action with 48 steals and 2.7 per game...shot just over 42 percent (130-307) from the field, nearly 33 percent (42-129) from three, and a team second-best 80.6 percent (54-67) from the free-throw line...scored 10 or more points in 17 outings...opened the season scoring double figures in eight of the first nine games...dropped 18 points in USI's 100-49 season-opening win against Brescia (Ky.) on November 4...tallied a team-best 29 points and 14.5 points per game with nine assists in USI's two wins at the Puerto Rico Clasico against Youngstown State on November 29 and against Le Moyne on November 30...notched a season-high 19 points in USI's 74-56 OVC-opening victory against Tennessee State on December 19...netted 19 points against Tennessee State again in the first round of the OVC tournament on March 5 after concluding the regular season with 18 points at Tennessee State on March 1...named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll.

2023-24: Earned All-OVC Newcomer Team honors...helped USI win the 2023-24 Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships as a sophomore and in first season with USI...played in all 32 games, starting the last 19 contests...averaged 23.4 minutes per game...notched 7.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game...led the team with 113 total assists and 3.5 per outing...was top 10 in the OVC in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio...led the OVC with a 2.11 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play...shot 46.1 percent (88-191) from the floor and a team-best 45.5 percent (46-101) from three-point territory...had 27 steals...named OVC Newcomer of the Week twice last season...first Newcomer of the Week award was on January 30 after a performance with 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in an 81-61 win against Western Illinois on January 25...was Newcomer of the Week a second time and OVC Player of the Week on February 20 after dropping 20 points in a 73-67 victory at UT Martin on February 15 and 18 points in an 88-51 win at Little Rock two days later while also totaling 10 made triples and 14 assists in the two games...selected to the OVC All-Tournament Team following USI's run to the OVC Tournament championship title...nearly had a triple-double in USI's 69-54 semifinal win against Eastern Illinois, registering 10 points, 11 rebounds, and nine rebounds...scored a team-high 18 points and went a perfect 5-5 from three-point range in USI's second-round WNIT contest against Wisconsin on March 25...scored 10 or more points in 12 games with one double-double during the season.

2022-23 (VALPARAISO): Made nine starts in 30 games played...second on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game, shooting over 47 percent from the floor and 43 percent from beyond the arc...also connected at the free-throw line at an 84 percent clip...dished out a team-best 81 assists, had 22 steals, and averaged nearly two rebounds per contest...averaged 24 minutes per game for the Beacons...at the end of the 2022-23 season, Saunders was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team after leading all MVC freshmen in scoring and assists, both overall and in conference play...scored in double figures 18 times and handed out five or more assists five times in the regular season...had a 32-point performance on November 21 against the University of Alabama Birmingham, setting a new Valpo freshman record... in February against the University of Northern Iowa, Saunders scored 19 points on a perfect night shooting, going 7-for-7 from the field with one made three and 4-for-4 at the charity stripe...became the first Valpo player with a 100% field goal percentage on at least seven attempts since 2004.

HIGH SCHOOL: Standout for three and a half seasons for North Harrison in Indiana before graduating early to enroll at Valpo ... surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career late in her junior season ... averaged better than 20 points/game over her final two seasons ... a First Team All-State selection by both Hoosier Basketball Magazine and the ICGSA as a junior ... earned Third Team All-State honors from both the magazine and Prep Girls Hoops Indiana for the 2019-20 campaign ... #11 player in her class in the state of Indiana according to Prep Girls Hoops Indiana ... named to the Underclass All-State Supreme 15 by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association following the 2020-21 season ... invited to numerous elite showcases and classics ... MVP of the 2018 Battle of the Bridges Indiana vs. Kentucky All-Star Game ... two-time First Team All-Conference honoree ... made her mark on the North Harrison soccer program as well, earning All-Conference honors three times and helping her side to conference and sectional championships in 2019.

PERSONAL: Daughter of Scott and Paula
 

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Career Highs through 2024-25 season
Points: 32 - vs. UAB (11/21/22)*
Rebounds: 9-vs. Eastern Illinois (3/8/24)
Assists: 11-vs. Eastern Illinois (3/8/24)
Steals: 6 - Twice, last vs. Oakland City (12/7/24)
Blocks: 2 - vs. Southeast Missouri (2/8/25)
*includes career highs from Valparaiso
 

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Double-figures:
Scoring: 47*
20-point outings: 3!
Rebounding: 0
Double-Doubles: 1
*includes 18, !includes 2 from Valparaiso