WBB Preview: Aggies Return From California Trip, Host Idaho

It was a demanding road trip. In just three days, the Aggies played 80 minutes of competitive basketball away from home, resulting in two games decided by five points or less. Unfortunately for Utah State, Loyola Marymount (63-58) and San Diego (70-66) emerged victorious from those bouts, dropping the Aggies to 3-5 on the season.

Other than being back home, it doesn’t get much easier for the Aggies. The Montanas (State, then the University of) swept the top spots in the preseason poll in the Big Sky, but right behind the Bobcats and Grizzlies are the Vandals of Idaho. 

Idaho is a solid team led by second-year coach Arthur Moreira. He has amassed a 26-15 record at Idaho after taking over for Carrie Eighmey, who replaced long-time coach Jon Newlee for just one season. The Vandals are 8-3 on the year with a 2-2 record on the road. They are coming off a loss to Cal that resembled Utah State’s previous two losses, ending in a 68-61 final score. Utah State’s losing streak is up to three games, meanwhile.

The Vandals and Aggies are well acquainted in just about every sport, and women’s basketball is no different. The Vandals have the all-time edge at 16-12 and are currently on a four-game winning streak, which ended a six-game run for the Aggies that went from 2011 to 2013. The teams have met in each of the previous two years, first in Logan when Idaho won 70-43, then last season in Idaho, resulting in a 71-56 Vandal victory.

Elise Livingston led that game with a breakout performance that was then a career high of 16 points, with four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Sophie Sene had five points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal, and Heaton, the other returner from that game, did not play.

Just about every major statistic favors the Vandals. They are scoring 82.7 points to Utah State’s 63, grabbing 48.5 rebounds to Utah State’s 28.1, blocking 4.7 shots compared to 2.5, and giving away 14.0 turnovers to 16.9 for the Aggies. 

Utah State is averaging slightly more steals per game, 9.8-8.3, and it is giving up a similar figure of 67.6 points per game for the Vandals and 67.4 for Utah State.

Players To Know

Hope Hassmann: In her second year with the Vandals, Hope Hassmann has become Idaho’s leader. She can score at all three levels and leads the team with 13.8 points per game, and she can find open teammates and leads the team with four assists per game. She also averages 3.7 rebounds and nearly a steal per game. 

She’s coming off nine double-digit scoring games in a row and has been in double digits in all but one contest this year. In her past three games, she averaged 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and four assists. Just before that, she posted a season high of seven assists.

Kyla Gardner: Kyla Gardner has made a home on the Palouse and transferred in from Washington State after three years. In her first year at Idaho, she's made a big impact and leads the team in minutes, rebounds and steals, is second on the team in scoring, and third in assists and blocks.

With 11 starts and 26.3 minutes per game, she is averaging 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

Her season high of 26 points came on her former home court when she posted 26 points, eight rebounds, five steals and a block in an 87-85 win over Wazzu. Her season high in boards came in her only double-double of the year, a 16-point, 12-rebound game against Denver.

Sara Brans: The 6-1 forward will be meeting Utah State for the third time in her career. In her first bout, Sara Brans was quiet with just three points, three rebounds and three assists. Last season, she came off the bench and dropped 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, six rebounds and a block. 

She didn’t start at all last year and went on to average 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. This year, she has started once out of 11 games and is averaging 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. She’s coming off a well-rounded performance against Cal when she added six points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in a 68-61 loss.