Vanguard rolls on while injured coach sidelined

Barry colleges columnThe Vanguard University women’s basketball team continues to steamroll opponents as the No. 1-ranked squad in NAIA Division I.

But Lions Coach Russ Davis is also flat on his back after sustaining a back injury last week. Davis, who has missed the last four games, all Golden State Athletic Conference victories, was hurt when he fell from a rolling chair in his office on Jan. 3.

“I turned quickly to answer the phone and my chair caught and came out from underneath me,” said Davis, who has had four back surgeries. “At first, I thought I was going to have to have surgery, because the injury [to a disc] reminded me of the last time I got hurt. I had surgery then and was out about six weeks.”

But Davis said he received an injection that has given him some relief. He said he continues to improve and his plan is to return Monday.

“I don’t have as much pain and I’m able to take bigger steps,” said Davis, who continues to provide practice plans and game plans for the Lions.

“I’m talking to my coaches and my players and I’m breaking down game videotapes,” said Davis, who follows the Lions games via radio broadcasts and live internet statistics updates.

“I’m really proud of my team,” Davis said. “My captains are stepping up and [assistant coaches] John Barney and Lisa Faulkner are doing a great job. Hopefully, we can take a positive from a negative and this will make us better in the long run.”

* The UC Irvine men’s basketball team has seized sole possession of first place in the Big West Conference by beginning conference play with road wins over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UC Santa Barbara.

The wins followed a five-game losing streak and marked the first consecutive conference road wins for UCI since 2003. Coach Pat Douglass’ squad last won two straight Big West road games at Utah State and Idaho, both of which are no longer in the conference.

UCI, which sank 11 three-pointers in Monday’s 70-66 win over UCSB, entered the week shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc, third-best in the nation.

* Senior guard Ross Schraeder has been a big part of the ‘Eaters’ long-range proficiency. He has 5 of 11 from three-point range in the two recent wins to pass Jeff Herdman as the school’s career leader with 203 three-pointers.

Schraeder is 44 of 94 from three-point range this season (46.8%), and is shooting 43.5% from distance for his career.

* Former UC Irvine men’s basketball player Aras Baskauskus, who played for the Anteaters from 2000-2004, is a cast member for the latest edition of the “Survivor” television series that will debut Feb. 2.

Baskauskus, 25, played briefly in Lithuania after leaving UCI, then operated a yoga studio in Capetown, South Africa, before returning to Santa Monica, where he teaches yoga.

Baskauskus, one of 16 cast members who will compete for the $1 million grand prize on an island off the coast of Panama, is the grandson of the late actor McDonald Carey.

* UCI’s student rooting section -- known as the CIA, an acronym for Completely Insane Anteaters -- may have something special planned for the return of Mike Efevberha on Friday night.

Efevberha a junior guard at Cal State Northridge, landed with the Matadors after being dismissed from the Anteater squad following a conviction for petty theft.

Northridge visits for a 7 p.m. Big West Conference contest.

The CIA might also have some fun with Matador freshman reserve forward Austen Powers.

* Powers played at Ironwood High in Glendale, Ariz., the alma mater of Vanguard women’s basketball All-American Kelly Schmidt.

Schmidt has made a huge impact for the Lions, but her dad, Dan Schmidt, made an impact of a different kind Saturday.

Competing in a halftime shooting competition, Dan Schmidt launched a half-court shot that broke a plexiglass barrier atop the backboard that protects the red light that illuminates when the game or shot clock buzzer sounds.

The public-address announcer playfully announced “That will be $1,000, sir.”

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