Byron Sanders
Byron Sanders

Player Profile
Class:
Senior

Hometown:
Gulfport, Miss.

High School:
Harrison Central

Height / Weight:
6-9 / 240

Position:
F

Birthdate:
09/08/1983

AT CAROLINA
Has played in 89 games as a Tar Heel • Made 12 starts, all as a freshman after Sean May went down with an injured foot • Has 102 points, 137 rebounds and 16 blocked shots.

JUNIOR SEASON (2004-05)
Played in 77 minutes in 26 games • Scored in 10 different games and had a season-high four points against Cleveland State and Miami • Saw action in NCAA Tournament games against Oakland and Iowa State • Made 10 of 22 shots from the floor • Grabbed a season-high four rebounds in wins over Loyola and Cleveland State • Played a season-high nine minutes against Loyola.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2003-04)
Named to the All-ACC Academic Basketball Team • Played in 28 games • Played a season-high 22 minutes in the win over Coastal Carolina and was the Tar Heels' defensive player of the game • Scored in six different games with a high of three points against George Mason • Blocked two shots against Old Dominion and at Maryland • Had a season-high seven rebounds against Coastal Carolina and added four against UNC Wilmington.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2002-03)
Played in all 35 games and averaged 1.9 points and 2.4 minutes • Started at center in 12 games • Averaged 5.1 points over an eight-game stretch in December-January • Scored eight points in the win at Florida State • Had six points in a 52-second span of the first half against the Seminoles • Made his first college start and played a season-high 25 minutes at St. John's • Missed all nine of his field goal attempts, but connected on two clutch free throws in the second half of the 63-59 win • Had seven rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes at Miami • Scored seven points and had seven rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 31 minutes against Davidson • Had eight rebounds, five on the offensive end, and scored six points on 3 of 6 shooting from the floor at Virginia • Scored six points, all in the second half, and had two blocked shots in the win over UConn • Scored on a three-point play with 3:18 left to give Carolina a six-point lead • Scored six points, had three rebounds and graded out as Carolina's best defensive player at Georgia Tech • Had four rebounds and a second-half blocked shot in the win over Virginia • Played solid defense against Travis Watson, helping to limit him to just three field goals.

PREP/PERSONAL
Played for Coach Ricky Stone at Harrison Central High School in Lyman, Miss. • Was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi in 2002 • Earned all-state and all-district honors as a senior • Averaged 13.9 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game as a senior • Won the state title in 1999-2000 • Played in the state championship game in 2001-02 • Had 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the championship game • Harrison Central also was the south state and district champions • Graduated with high honors • His sister, Angela, played basketball at the University of Southern Mississippi and is a computer engineer • Born Byron L. Sanders on Sept. 8, 1983, in Gulfport, Miss. • Is the son of Otis and Bettie Sanders.