The WAC tournament looms on the horizon and the Idaho women’s basketball team knows it needs wins. The Vandals will have the opportunity to move up in the standings Saturday when they play a struggling Nevada team.
The Wolf Pack sits in last place in the conference with a WAC record of 1-7. They’re one win came against Idaho Jan. 23 when they beat the Vandals 76-70 in Cowan Spectrum. While Nevada’s record isn’t impressive, Idaho coach Jon Newlee said it’s a team to watch out for.
“They’ve been in a lot of games too and have been hit with a lot of injuries,” Newlee said. “I think they’re kind of in the same position we are.”
The Vandals are in No. 6 in the conference, but are in striking distance of both Hawaii and San Jose State. The Vandals had a three-game winning streak going, but it ended with a loss to Fresno State Feb. 11. Freshman guard Taylor Weiks said the team is focused and ready for this week.
“One game doesn’t determine who we are as a team,” Weiks said. “…We know exactly what we need to do and change things and fix things and go get them this round.”
Last time out the Wolf Pack’s leading rebounder, Kayla Williams, didn’t play against the Vandals due to injury. Despite her absence, Nevada out-rebounded 46-38. Newlee said getting the boards is going to be a big key to the game.
“We’re going to have to get on the glass,” Newlee said. “Kayla Williams didn’t even play the last time we played them and she is an absolute rebounding machine, so we’re going to have to rebound.”
Nevada favors running the floor. The Wolf Pack like to push the pace of the game. Newlee said another key to the game will be his team’s hustle in transition.
“We’re going to have to get back in transition,” Newlee said. “We’re going to have to stop them. They do a good job of running that transition offense.”
Turnovers will play a huge role in the game as well. When the Vandals were on their three-game winning streak they took care of the ball, allowing fewer turnovers than the team’s average. Last time against Nevada, Idaho turned the ball over 19 times. Idaho assistant coach Jordan Green said the game will come down to individuals making good decisions on both sides of the ball.
“Offensively, as an individual, we have to take better care of the ball,” Green said. “We have to make good passes, and then defensively we have to play good team defense, but part of that is playing good one-on-one defense as individuals.”
The young Idaho squad is familiar with ups and downs and has struggled to put all the pieces together, but with the season’s end coming soon, the time to step up starts at Nevada.
“Definitely hustle and transition are the two main keys,” Weiks said. “As a team we lack some of those things, but if we pull those together like we did in the games against Hawaii and San Jose, we’ll definitely come out with a win.”