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Lindsey Heard will do everything in her power to help the Sacramento State women's basketball team advance to the Big Sky Conference Tournament in March.
But the 6-foot-1 senior forward, a former Roseburg High and Umpqua Community College standout, admits she'll be happy when her final season of college basketball is over.
"I enjoy basketball, but I'm ready to move on with other things in my life," she said Wednesday from Sacramento. "I want to be a hairdresser."
Heard, who turns 22 on Feb. 22, is winding down her second year of Division I basketball. She's one of two ex-UCC players in the D-1 ranks this season, the other being 6-5 senior post Tina Sanerivi of the University of the Pacific.
"Everything has been good," Heard said. "I really like it here. School is going well and everyone on our team gets along. No team dramas.
"Our biggest goal this year is to make it the Big Sky tournament and go as far as we can. There's no doubt in my mind we'll get there."
In order to do that, the Hornets (8-14 overall, 3-7 Big Sky) will have to move up in the conference standings over the next two weeks. Following Thursday's loss to Montana at home, Sacramento State sits in seventh place in the eight-team conference with four games remaining.
The top six teams qualify for the Big Sky tournament, which will be held March 9-11 at the site of the conference champion.
"It's kind of anyone's show," Heard said. "Anyone is capable of beating each other on a given night in this league."
After being a starter throughout high school and her two years at UCC, Heard has adapted to coming off the bench for Sacramento State.
She's averaging 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds while averaging 17.5 minutes a game. Heard is shooting 35 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range and 75 percent from the line.
In conference play, she's at 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds.
"I don't mind it," she said of her role as the top reserve. "It comes down to minutes and I'm getting as many as the (starting post). I can come in and catch some people off guard."
Sacramento State head coach Dan Muscatell, a former assistant at the University of Oregon, says Heard gives the Hornet a dimension most teams don't have.
"Lindsey has done a really good job for us," he said. "She has the unique ability as a 6-footer to step out and shoot the ball from a distance and also be an effective player inside. She's improved in every aspect of her game since she arrived."
Heard scored a season-high 18 points in a 66-57 win over Montana State on Jan. 19, converting eight of 10 shots with two three-pointers. She added seven rebounds and two steals.
She had a double-double in a 69-61 victory over Eastern Washington Feb. 2, collecting 10 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes.
The Hornets have already matched their win total from last year, when they finished 8-20. Sacramento State will be in Oregon March 2, visiting Portland State.
"Lindsey is part of a group that has come in and changed the face of women's basketball here," Muscatell said. "She's a great young woman and a super teammate."
It has been a struggle for Heard at times. She has asthma and has suffered some anxiety attacks this season.
"Sometimes it takes me out of my whole game," she said. "You learn to cope with it every day."
Heard, an organizational communications major, plans to graduate next fall. Then it's on to beauty school.
"I'm pretty inexperienced," she said, rating her hairdressing skills. "I've cut (the hair of) one of the assistant coaches and have done a couple of the girls. Those are brave people who let me get ahold of their hair with scissors."
Heard, a 2002 graduate of Roseburg High, played three years for the Indians after transferring from Umpqua Valley Christian. She was named one of the top 10 RHS girls basketball players of all-time by The News-Review in 2004.
SCORING QUEEN. Roseburg senior forward Shayla Corder quietly became the school's career scoring leader in girls basketball last month.
The 5-9 Corder, 18, broke the former record of 947 points held by Sophia Alexander, who starred for the Tribe from 1987-89. Both are left-handers. Corder has scored 1,054 points in her RHS career.
According to my calculations, Corder surpassed the mark in a 52-47 loss to Grants Pass at Robertson Memorial Gym Jan. 20. She's scored 405 points in 24 games this season, averaging 16.9 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Corder heard through her sister she had broken the record, but wasn't aware she'd gone over 1,000 points.
"It's a very cool accomplishment," she said. "It will probably be more special when I'm older."
Corder, who saw limited playing time as a freshman, shattered the single-season scoring record last year as a junior, collecting 408 points. She received first-team All-Southern Oregon Conference honors as the Indians lost to Jesuit of Beaverton in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
"Shayla has spent a lot of time in the gym making herself better," Roseburg coach Bob Feasel said. "She has a ball in her hands all the time."
The Indians improved to 21-3 overall after Thursday's SOC win over South Medford and are preparing for the playoffs. Corder has gotten scoring help this season from Julie Piper (12 points), Katie Wilton (9.7) and Kristi Fallin (8.8).
Piper, a junior post who didn't play basketball last year, leads the club in rebounding. Wilton, a sophomore point guard, is the leader in assists and steals. And Fallin, a junior post, has been the most accurate shooter.
"This team has been awesome," Corder said. "I'm enjoying this season more than any other. We're talented all the way around and we just have fun together. We look forward to practice every day."
Corder has made a verbal commitment to The Master's College, an NAIA Division I school located in Santa Clarita, Calif.
* You can reach Associate Editor Tom Eggers at 957-4204 or by e-mail at teggers@newsreview.info.
But the 6-foot-1 senior forward, a former Roseburg High and Umpqua Community College standout, admits she'll be happy when her final season of college basketball is over.
"I enjoy basketball, but I'm ready to move on with other things in my life," she said Wednesday from Sacramento. "I want to be a hairdresser."
Heard, who turns 22 on Feb. 22, is winding down her second year of Division I basketball. She's one of two ex-UCC players in the D-1 ranks this season, the other being 6-5 senior post Tina Sanerivi of the University of the Pacific.
"Everything has been good," Heard said. "I really like it here. School is going well and everyone on our team gets along. No team dramas.
"Our biggest goal this year is to make it the Big Sky tournament and go as far as we can. There's no doubt in my mind we'll get there."
In order to do that, the Hornets (8-14 overall, 3-7 Big Sky) will have to move up in the conference standings over the next two weeks. Following Thursday's loss to Montana at home, Sacramento State sits in seventh place in the eight-team conference with four games remaining.
The top six teams qualify for the Big Sky tournament, which will be held March 9-11 at the site of the conference champion.
"It's kind of anyone's show," Heard said. "Anyone is capable of beating each other on a given night in this league."
After being a starter throughout high school and her two years at UCC, Heard has adapted to coming off the bench for Sacramento State.
She's averaging 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds while averaging 17.5 minutes a game. Heard is shooting 35 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range and 75 percent from the line.
In conference play, she's at 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds.
"I don't mind it," she said of her role as the top reserve. "It comes down to minutes and I'm getting as many as the (starting post). I can come in and catch some people off guard."
Sacramento State head coach Dan Muscatell, a former assistant at the University of Oregon, says Heard gives the Hornet a dimension most teams don't have.
"Lindsey has done a really good job for us," he said. "She has the unique ability as a 6-footer to step out and shoot the ball from a distance and also be an effective player inside. She's improved in every aspect of her game since she arrived."
Heard scored a season-high 18 points in a 66-57 win over Montana State on Jan. 19, converting eight of 10 shots with two three-pointers. She added seven rebounds and two steals.
She had a double-double in a 69-61 victory over Eastern Washington Feb. 2, collecting 10 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes.
The Hornets have already matched their win total from last year, when they finished 8-20. Sacramento State will be in Oregon March 2, visiting Portland State.
"Lindsey is part of a group that has come in and changed the face of women's basketball here," Muscatell said. "She's a great young woman and a super teammate."
It has been a struggle for Heard at times. She has asthma and has suffered some anxiety attacks this season.
"Sometimes it takes me out of my whole game," she said. "You learn to cope with it every day."
Heard, an organizational communications major, plans to graduate next fall. Then it's on to beauty school.
"I'm pretty inexperienced," she said, rating her hairdressing skills. "I've cut (the hair of) one of the assistant coaches and have done a couple of the girls. Those are brave people who let me get ahold of their hair with scissors."
Heard, a 2002 graduate of Roseburg High, played three years for the Indians after transferring from Umpqua Valley Christian. She was named one of the top 10 RHS girls basketball players of all-time by The News-Review in 2004.
SCORING QUEEN. Roseburg senior forward Shayla Corder quietly became the school's career scoring leader in girls basketball last month.
The 5-9 Corder, 18, broke the former record of 947 points held by Sophia Alexander, who starred for the Tribe from 1987-89. Both are left-handers. Corder has scored 1,054 points in her RHS career.
According to my calculations, Corder surpassed the mark in a 52-47 loss to Grants Pass at Robertson Memorial Gym Jan. 20. She's scored 405 points in 24 games this season, averaging 16.9 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Corder heard through her sister she had broken the record, but wasn't aware she'd gone over 1,000 points.
"It's a very cool accomplishment," she said. "It will probably be more special when I'm older."
Corder, who saw limited playing time as a freshman, shattered the single-season scoring record last year as a junior, collecting 408 points. She received first-team All-Southern Oregon Conference honors as the Indians lost to Jesuit of Beaverton in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
"Shayla has spent a lot of time in the gym making herself better," Roseburg coach Bob Feasel said. "She has a ball in her hands all the time."
The Indians improved to 21-3 overall after Thursday's SOC win over South Medford and are preparing for the playoffs. Corder has gotten scoring help this season from Julie Piper (12 points), Katie Wilton (9.7) and Kristi Fallin (8.8).
Piper, a junior post who didn't play basketball last year, leads the club in rebounding. Wilton, a sophomore point guard, is the leader in assists and steals. And Fallin, a junior post, has been the most accurate shooter.
"This team has been awesome," Corder said. "I'm enjoying this season more than any other. We're talented all the way around and we just have fun together. We look forward to practice every day."
Corder has made a verbal commitment to The Master's College, an NAIA Division I school located in Santa Clarita, Calif.
* You can reach Associate Editor Tom Eggers at 957-4204 or by e-mail at teggers@newsreview.info.
