Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds Highlights

General Information

NCAA Division: Division I

Conference: Big Sky

Past Conferences: Summit

City: Cedar City, Utah

Stadium: America First Event Center

NCAA Tournaments: 2001

Championships:

National Championships: 0
Conference Titles: 3

Southern Utah Thunderbirds Team History

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds have had mixed success in basketball, but they’re heading in the right direction.
After four shocking years from 2013-2017, where they accumulated only 24 wins and 99 losses, the Thunderbirds have bounced back and there is every reason to be in a positive mindset for the upcoming season.

Since coach Todd Simon took over the reins in 2016, they have steadily improved from a six-win team into a 23-win team. Their 2021-22 season amassed 23 wins and only 12 losses, which followed up a 20-4 win during the Covid-hit 2020-21 year.

The Thunderbirds team stats are starting to show signs of drastic improvement, and they are Big Sky title contenders. We expect their NCAAB odds for the Big Sky title to be firm, and they’re a solid bet.
They have been to the NCAA Tournament only once in their history. It came in 2001 when posting a 25-6 record under coach Bill Evans, but they lost in the first round to Boston College 68-65.

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds’ stats declined significantly following that appearance, failing to secure a winning record until the 2006-07 year. It was slim pickings following that season as well, including 11 consecutive losing years. That streak was snapped when they posted a 17-17 record in 2019.

The biggest turnover was offensive efficiency, which saw the Thunderbirds scoring average increase from 72.8 points per game in 2020 to 84.2 PPG in 2021. It’s a huge increase compared to what they used to score on offense when they were struggling.

They got invited to play in the Basketball Classic in 2022. They made the semifinals after posting wins over Kent State, UTEP, and Portland, before losing to Fresno State.

With five seasons under Simon, bettors should expect continued improvement from the Thunderbirds.

All-Time Southern Utah Thunderbirds Records

Points Scored

Davor Marcelic: 1,710
Jeff Monaco: 1,568
Dre Marin: 1,432

Rebounds

Maizen Fausett: 716
Harrison Butler: 649
Tarvish Felton: 505

Assists

Jeff Monaco: 547
Steve Barnes: 439
Dre Marin: 362

Southern Utah Thunderbirds FAQs

What Is the Highest Win Total in Program History?

The 2000-01 team posted a 25-6 win total, which is their best of all time. They came close in 2021-22 when posting 23 wins, but more games were played. The 2001 team was the only Thunderbirds roster to earn a spot in the National Tournament.

What Was the Worst Season in Program History?

There have been some bad seasons for Southern Utah, but none worse than the 2-27 shocker in 2013-14. They went 1-19 in the Big Sky Conference, in what can only be described as a horrific performance.

Who Is the Greatest Player in Program History?

There haven’t been any star players for the Thunderbirds, but Davor Marcelic leads the way. He is the career leader in field goals, field goal attempts, three-point goal percentage, points, and field goal percentage. The Croatian played most of his professional career in Europe after going undrafted in 1991.