Harvard's Wesley Saunders Looks To Follow In Jeremy Lin's Footsteps
By Will Connolly
Name: Wesley Saunders - #23
University: Harvard Crimson
Year: Senior
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 215 lbs.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Position: Guard
Five years ago, there was a Harvard guard who hailed from California with aspirations of taking his talents to the next level. Unfortunately, that player went undrafted, but was eventually picked up by the Golden State Warriors before hopping around the league a bit and then becoming an international superstar as "Linsanity" struck the New York Knicks. Of course, that player is NBA starting point guard Jeremy Lin. Surely, current Harvard senior guard Wesley Saunders would love to follow in the footsteps of his alma mater.
Recruited out of Windward High School in Los Angeles, Saunders saw limited time in his first season with the Crimson, as he only averaged 13.9 minutes and 3.3 points per game. Things really took off for Saunders in his sophomore season though, as his minutes nearly tripled, which added to the huge escalation in his points per game (16.2). Although his point production may have dropped slightly in his junior season to 14.2 points per game, his assists and rebounds increased as he garnered Ivy League Player of the Year honors.
Lin may have started the upward trend in Harvard's basketball program, taking them from 8-22 in his first season to 21-8 in his final one, but he never reached the NCAA Tournament. That is something that Saunders has already accomplished twice. In the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Saunders broke out for an 18-point performance in a bracket busting upset of the No. 3 New Mexico Lobos, coming as their first ever victory in NCAA Tournament play. The Crimson would fall at the hands of Arizona in the next round, but would return to the tournament the following season to play spoiler again as they overcame the No. 5 Cincinnati Bearcats. Saunders yet again demonstrated his leadership by leading the team with 12 points, and then putting on an even more impressive effort against the high-powered Michigan State Spartans with 22 points; only to fall to Sparta by seven.
But the 2014-15 season has been Saunders best season yet, as he boasts career highs in points (16.2), rebounds (6.1), assists (4.1) and steals (2.0) per game. Saunders has also scored double-digits in all but three games this season, including a career-high 33-point performance at Brown in an 76-74 overtime victory over the Bears. He is even the favorite to take Ivy League Player of the Year of the honors for a second year in a row. As of today, Harvard is locked in as the No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament Bracket, set to face off with the No. 5 Wichita State Shockers. Saunders and his Crimson will surely be hoping to play "shocker" once again against a team that's only lost three games thus far this season.
Harvard will also be looking to make school history by winning two consecutive games (something they've never done) in the NCAA Tournament this upcoming March. But overcoming a team that is currently ranked 11th in the country will be no walk in the park. Only time will tell if Saunders can rise to the occasion and help his Crimson reach new heights.
