The Idaho women’s basketball team is opening its 2013-14 season just how the 2012-13 season ended — playing one of the best teams in the nation.
Forward Alyssa Charlston practices her 3-point shots during practice Tuesday in the Physical Education Building. During the 2012-2013 season, Charlston averaged 13.4 points and 6.9 rebounds a game to lead the Vandals. Idaho takes on Gonzaga for the season opener at 6 p.m. Friday in Spokane.
The 2013 WAC champion Vandals concluded last season with a loss against No. 1 seed and national champion Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament. Now, they start the season playing No. 25 ranked Gonzaga Friday in Spokane in the Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament. A victory would mark the first win against a ranked opponent in Idaho history.
“It’s rough to jump right into the fire, especially with no exhibition games this year, but we want to play the best around the country preseason to get ready for our conference,” Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. “Certainly this tournament has those teams in it. I think it’s a great honor to be in the WNIT preseason, because it’s kind of based on what you did the year before and where they think your program is going.”
The Vandals currently have a 20-14 series lead over the Zags but Idaho fell to Gonzaga 97-62 last season in Spokane. Both teams return most of their starters from last year’s matchup. Gonzaga returns four starters and most of its bench, while Idaho returns all five starters from last year’s championship team.
“They basically have their whole team back, we basically have our whole team back. We’re a year older though, starting three freshmen last year and going into that environment in the Kennel is tough,” Newlee said. “Obviously the Zags are extremely talented. We’re just going to have to play a great game up there. I think we do have something to prove after last year’s game.”
Idaho’s returning starters from last year’s 17-16 team include senior Alyssa Charlston, WAC Tournament MVP Stacey Barr and sophomores Ali Forde, Connie Ballestero and Christina Salvatore. Charlston, a two-time first-team All-WAC selection, led the Vandals with 13.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season. She also posted a team-high 45.3 field goal percentage.
“It’s been a long preseason, we started pretty early so we’re really excited to get out there and test how much we’ve improved this offseason against some good competition,” Charlston said.
The Vandals open with Gonzaga and they are guaranteed to play a minimum of three games in the Preseason WNIT. Idaho’s second game will be against either Georgia State or Tennessee-Martin, sometime next week.
The Preseason WNIT, currently in its 20th year, features 10 of its 16 teams coming off NCAA Tournament appearances. A couple of the tournament favorites include NCAA runner-up Louisville and No. 5 ranked Oklahoma. The winner of the 2012 Preseason WNIT was North Carolina, who ended up going 29-7 on the season last year.
The Vandals come into the tournament picked to finish second in the WAC after Seattle U by both the coaches and media polls. Charlston and Barr earned preseason honors for the Vandals.
“Our returners have come back with a lot of confidence and a lot of enthusiasm,” Newlee said. “I think the freshmen have really done a good job of catching up to speed. I think the entire team has worked hard so far and we’re ready to play somebody else.”
Stephan Wiebe
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