As the Idaho Vandals were ready to take the floor against the University of St Thomas, head coach Arthur Moreira wrote a message on the whiteboard before the game, “Win the Battle in the Paint,” to lead the team to victory.
The Vandals in their first game in Memorial Gymnasium since 2021 followed the message and, from start to finish, dominated the Tommie’s behind graduate forward Rosie Schweizer’s 21-point affair, they cruised to a 76-54 victory to get their sixth victory in a row.
The Vandals won the rebounding battle 45-33 and constantly tried to win the game down low, offensively and defensively. The game began differently than it ended in a back-and-forth beginning, with both teams tied at five before sophomore guard Hope Hassmann took over.
Hassmann went on a 6-0 run herself, making two free throws and two beautiful driving layups the second one was the best one of the two. The Vandals got a defensive stop and got the ball in the hands of Hassmann. Hassmann drove to her left pumped fake and went under the defender to lay the ball in and give the Vandals an 11-5 lead.
Graduate forward Jennifer Aadland capped the run with a three-pointer to spread the lead to double digits. The Vandals continued their hot shooting and smothering defense and took a 22-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The Vandals’ best quarter of the game was the second quarter, which was brilliant on both ends of the floor. The Vandals outscored the Tommies 21-4 in the quarter behind graduate guard Olivia Nelson’s ten-point quarter, and brilliant defense helped stretch the Vandals’ lead to 40-18 with under a minute to go.
Hassmann knocked down a three-pointer to extend the lead to their largest lead of the game and sending the Vandals into the locker room with a 43-18 lead.
Nelson credits the Vandal’s defensive masterclass to their preparation and game plan.
“One of the keys is we have great coaches that are great at scouting, and so they put together a great game plan for us, and we were able to execute that on the defensive side.”
The Tommies responded to the Vandal’s great second quarter, with the second half outscoring the Vandals 36-33 in half, but it was not enough as the Vandals got their sixth straight victory, their longest winning streak since the 2021-2022 season.
After losing the first two games of the season, the Vandals have been playing fantastic basketball, which, according to head coach Arthur Moreira, has been because of the team’s chemistry and the way they play on the floor together.
“Just how well we’ve been playing together, I feel like every game we play, we keep getting better,” Moreira said. Both on offense and defense, the way we guard requires a lot of communication. It’s a little funky defense, a different style that people don’t see very often, but it requires everybody to be on the same page and do the same thing offensively. We like to share the ball; We like to execute well. So the more experience we get, the better we play; that’s why we’re winning games.”
The Vandals were led by a trio of Vandals in double digits. Schweizer led all scorers with 21 points, 9/13 shooting, and was a perfect 2/2 from the free throw line, a stat line Schweizer credits to her teammates.
“I worked on my finishing. A couple there early I was disappointed in myself, but I had great passes and looks from our guards and post players,” Schweizer said.”
“I’m happy to finish the play, but it’s a team sport. It’s a team effort. I wouldn’t get the open shots if I didn’t get great passes,” Schweizer said.
Hassmann added 15 points and four assists and was a spark that started the Vandals’ run. Nelson was calm and steady all game long, controlling the floor, and she added 12 points of her own.
An unsung hero of the game was Aadland, who has been a monster all season and is leading the Big Sky in rebounds. Aadland had five points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and four steals and was all over the floor for the Vandals.
The Vandals will look to continue their electric start to the season and winning streak as they return to the ICCU arena to face (1-8) Utah State on Sunday, Dec 15, at 1 p.m. In a game that, besides the Aggies’ record, the Vandals are expecting a battle.
“They’re going to present different challenges than St Thomas. St Thomas, very skilled, based, really, really well coached, good shooters,” Moreira said.
“Utah State (has a bunch of athletes). They’re going to bother us, so a little similar to probably what Riverside gave us, but Utah state’s better,” Moreira said. “it’s (going) to be a fun challenge to play a Mountain West team, and we got to take care of business.”
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected]