The journey wasn’t always linear, but the Idaho Vandals women’s basketball team is heading to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.
The Vandals (29-5) sat in Idaho Central Credit Union Arena with 1,000 fans in attendance this past Sunday, waiting for their name to be called. Near the end of the bracket reveal, it appeared on the screen. Idaho had landed the no. 13 seed and would travel to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the no. 4 seed Oklahoma Sooners (24-7).
The Vandals and Sooners will tip off from Norman on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. as they seek their first ever win in the NCAA tournament
When their name appeared, the Vandals leapt to their feet, the reality sinking in that a team goal and a lifelong dream for many of its players was days away from being fulfilled.
“It’s so rewarding. This has been my goal since I was a little girl,” junior guard Hope Hassmann said at selection show press conference. “To be here on the big stage, and now knowing who we’re going to play, it’s so cool. We’re excited to put on a show and maybe get an upset here. We wouldn’t be here without all the hard work the girls and the coaches have put in.”
Hassmann, a native of Maple Valley, Washington, has helped guide the Vandals to a program-best 17 conference wins and an 18-game winning streak. Recently named Big Sky Conference Tournament MVP and first team All-Big Sky, she finished the regular season averaging 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
She eclipsed her sophomore numbers this year, leading the team with 484 points and 141 assists.
She hasn’t done it alone. The Vandals boast the top offense in the Big Sky Conference, averaging 77.1 points per game while holding opponents to just 64.4. Idaho consistently gets contributions across the roster, with four players averaging double figures.
Joining Hassmann in the backcourt is senior guard Kyra Gardner, a Washington State transfer and first-team All-Big Sky selection. Gardner averages 12.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and a conference-leading 2.5 steals per game. Her 86 steals and 34 blocks this season make her one of the most versatile defenders in the league.
Alongside Gardner is sophomore guard Ana Pinheiro, named to the Big Sky All-Defensive Team. Pinheiro has been Idaho’s shutdown defender all season while also developing offensively, averaging 10.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In the frontcourt, redshirt senior Lorena Barbosa has been one half of a two-headed monster in the paint. A native of Itatiba, Brazil, and a transfer from the University of San Francisco, Barbosa averages 7.5 points and 4.4 rebounds and delivered the game-winning block in the Big Sky Championship victory over Montana State.
The other half of that frontcourt tandem is redshirt senior Debora dos Santos, the teams most productive player off the bench. A native of Rio Brazil and a USF transfer, dos Santos battled through injuries and setbacks before finding a fresh start in Moscow and a shot at March Madness.
“I knew Arthur [Moreira] and Derek [Saich] from USF,” dos Santos said at press conference. “I knew I could trust them, they could trust me. Of course, coming back from injury was tough, but it was something I knew we’d be able to manage together.”
Averaging 11.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, dos Santos was named the Big Sky Conference’s top reserve and will be a critical presence as the Vandals look for an upset.
The Vandals make headlines for their high-flying offense the fast tempo and attractive style but what sets this team apart is their rebounding and defense.
Idaho led the Big Sky in rebounding with 46.9 rebounds per game, dominating the glass on both ends. On the defensive side, the Vandals have vastly improved, and through their unique coverages they have shut down opponents and relied on their defense when it mattered most.
The balance of a high-flying offense and a unique defense with a relentless desire makes the Vandals a very high upset risk for Oklahoma and the most dangerous no. 13 seed in the tournament.
Oklahoma
Idaho will have its hands full in Norman. The Sooners are the third-highest scoring offense in the nation, averaging 86.7 points per game, with every starter scoring in double figures.
Oklahoma is led by freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, the no. 1 overall recruit and top point guard in the 2025 class. Chavez has been electric in her freshman season, averaging 18.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
Redshirt senior Reagan Beers is the Sooners dominant force in the paint. A transfer from Oregon State, Beers averages 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds. Junior forward Sahara Williams and guards redshirt senior Payton Verhulst and sophomore Zya Vann round out a starting lineup capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor.
Their pace of play is where they do their most damage, something Idaho’s head coach has taken note of.
“They’re like an SEC version of us,” coach Arthur Moreira said. “They want to play fast. They rebound the ball really hard, they push it in transition. They’re the no. 4 seed and a top-10 team in the country for a reason. We’ve got our hands full.”
On paper, the Sooners are bigger, stronger and faster. But that won’t change how Idaho plays.
“It comes down to two things,” Moreira said. “One, are we trying to just go out there and say we played Oklahoma close? Or are we going to try to win? We could have a very traditional game plan, maybe we lose by 10 or 15. Or we can go balls to the wall and try to win this thing. I’m always the type of coach who likes to be creative, who likes to take risks. So, we’re running with it. If that means they’re just way better than us and we lose by 40, so be it.”
This Idaho team has had a record-breaking season and carried a target on its back for most of the season. Now they arrive as underdogs, with nothing to lose and everything to prove. They’ve played with energy and connectivity all year, and on Friday night, they step onto the biggest stage most of them have ever known.
The Vandals aren’t going to Norman for a moral victory. They come with the desire to compete and get to the next round.
The country may not know who the Vandals are yet, but they will.
“March can be a lot of madness, and we were able to keep it together until now, that’s the goal,” dos Santos said at a press conference. “Keep playing our hardest. There are games where we’re going to succeed on the boards, or on toughness. But we’re going to succeed. I’m sure pretty much everybody has the same goal.”