MOSCOW, Idaho – Heading into the 2016-17 season, GoVandals.com will be sitting down with every member of the Idaho men's basketball squad with the @VandalHoops Hotseat.
 
Victor Sanders led the Vandals at 15.9 points per game last season and earned Second Team All-Big Sky honors despite missing seven games.  The junior from Portland, Oregon stepped up in a major way in 2015-16 and is looking to continue that improvement this season.
 
WHY IDAHO?
"Honestly, basketball.  I say that because in high school you try to do everything you can to continue your career in basketball and I was fortunate enough to get a look from Idaho.  They showed extreme interest and I committed.  First, I came on a visit, my first official visit of college, and I blew my ACL out here.  I got discouraged, I didn't want to come.  Then I went to a prep school and Idaho still wanted to recruit me and still wanted me to play.  I felt like when you choose a school, you go where they genuinely like you and they genuinely want you.  I felt that from Idaho.  That choice was easy."
 
YOU STEPPED UP WHILE PERRION WAS OUT, WHAT CAUSED THAT?
"As a team you never want to see anyone go down or get injured.  I feel like I'm a team leader as well, so I had to step up in all areas.  It just happened that the ball was going in the bucket and I kept shooting and running with it.  It's all on my teammates, really.  They got me the ball and they believed in me.  And I believed in them.  That's what it takes to win."
 
THEN YOU WENT DOWN AT MONTANA.  HOW'D YOU GET BACK SO FAST?
"Being that I've torn my ACL, any other injury is miniscule.  Of course it was a broken bone in my shooting hand.  But I got with Toby, our trainer, and I went through vigorous treatments.  I kept the mindset that my team needs me and I couldn't slack off even though I'm out.  I had to keep up my conditioning, I still had to stay strong.  That was just a mindset that I had that I needed to come back."
 
YOU'RE AN UPPERCLASSMAN NOW, ARE YOU TAKING OVER A LARGER, MORE VOCAL LEADERSHIP ROLE?
"Quiet teams never amount to anything.  You have to talk.  Communication is key.  If you can talk through what you're doing while you're doing it, you're more confident and you're able to do your job.  I think that by being a vocal leader, people will follow my lead.  Not only by talking about it but by doing it well.  I think that's what we need.  Losing Chris Sarbaugh, he was our glue-guy, our vocal leader.  He kept us together.  Those are some big shoes to fill, definitely."
 
PERSONAL GOALS/TEAM GOALS HEADING INTO 2016-17
"I feel like the personal goals will take care of themselves, if we win and do what we need to do as a team.  A person doesn't get an award without the other four players.  I think it's important to not really focus on individual stuff but more team goals and winning the Big Sky Championship.  As a team, it's the same as last year, same as the year before.  We want to be the best of the best in our conference and put our bid into the tournament in March.  I think we have the pieces to do it.  We have the proper coaches to do it and I know everybody is going to give it their all.  Whatever happens happens.  It's going to take a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, but most definitely our goal is to win the Big Sky Championship and go deeper than the first round in March Madness."
 
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The season begins with a pair of exhibitions, against Carroll College on October 25 and LCSC on November 4.  The regular season begins at home on November 12 against Corban University.
 
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho men's basketball by following the team on twitter, @VandalHoops.

For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com.  Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.