COLLEGE HOOPS NOTES: Idaho readies up to host rival EWU in doubleheader

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Jan. 16—First-year coaches David Riley and Arthur Moreira have the Cougar men and Vandal women off to strong basketball starts, the Lewis-Clark State men’s and women’s programs are nationally ranked and each local college hoops squad has seen younger players and newcomers step into larger roles.

With all six area college basketball programs well into conference play, the Tribune takes a look at how each has fared up to this point and previews the Vandals’ doubleheader against Big Sky rival Eastern Washington.

Idaho women (11-4, 3-1)

The success of the Vandal women’s team has been among the biggest surprises, not just in the Big Sky Conference, but perhaps the nation.

One year removed from a 15-16 finish, Moreira has the Vandals off to an 11-4 start. Idaho has nine transfers and three freshmen and just two returners in Sarah Brans and Clarkston’s Ashlyn Wallace. Despite so many new faces, the team’s vast college basketball experience has allowed the players to gel, especially behind a pair of graduate transfer leading scorers.

Hope Hassmann (12.5 points per game) and Olivia Nelson (11.3) lead the Vandals in scoring. Hassmann posted 16 points in the Vandals’ 63-48 win over Sacramento State on Jan. 9 and Nelson scored 19 in Idaho’s 60-56 victory over Portland State on Saturday.

After an 0-2 start against a pair of Cougars from BYU and Washington State, the Vandals are 11-2 since Nov. 13.

They host Eastern Washington at 1 p.m. Saturday before the Vandal men play the Eagles at 4 p.m.

“It just gives us a good atmosphere,” Moreira said of the doubleheader. “(UI men’s) coach (Alex) Pribble and his program have done a great job of bringing people into the gym. I was watching the broadcast of the Montana games here and it looked like it was fun. It looked like there were a lot of people here.”

Moreira said EWU is one of the best shooting teams in the Big Sky and he will look for his team to keep them off the line and stay clean and disciplined guarding the Eagles at the rim.

The Vandals…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-hoops-notes-idaho-readies-141100889.html

Author : Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Moscow, Idaho

Publish date : 2025-01-16 14:11:00

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