The University of Montana women’s basketball team will play its only exhibition game of the season Sunday afternoon when the Lady Griz host Idol Sports, a traveling team made up of post-collegiate players. The game is scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. at Dahlberg Arena.
Montana will open its regular season the following Friday, Nov. 13, at Colorado State. The Lady Griz will also face Wyoming on their season-opening road trip, playing the Cowgirls on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Montana’s home opener will be against Oregon on Sunday, Nov. 22.
Sunday’s opponent will have a familiar look to Montana fans, with four of Idol Sports’ nine players former Lady Griz. Sonya Rogers, who earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors on last year’s 28-5 team, will be joined by Juliann Keller (2001-05), Corrie Villegas (2002-03) and Laura Valley (1998-2002).
Headlining the Idol Sports roster will be Sheryl Swoopes, the WNBA MVP in 2000, ’02 and ’05, an Olympic gold medalist in 1996, 2000 and 2004 and a four-time WNBA champion (1997-2000) with the Houston Comets.
Swoopes will be returning to Dahlberg Arena 16 years after leading Texas Tech to a pair of victories in the 1993 NCAA tournament’s West Regional, which was hosted by Montana at Dahlberg Arena.
Swoopes, who was named the West Regional’s MVP, averaged 34.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as Texas Tech defeated USC and Colorado.
The Lady Raiders downed Vanderbilt and Ohio State a week later in the Final Four to win their only national championship.
Montana, which returns just two starters and two players who averaged more than four points per game last season, had its Maroon and Silver scrimmage on Oct. 27 and a closed-door scrimmage last Sunday against an eclectic mix of former Montana players in addition to some local men’s players.
“I think we learned a lot from our scrimmage Sunday. The video was very telling in some areas,” 32nd-year coach Robin Selvig said. “I’m hoping, number one, to see some progress in some areas from last Sunday.
“Sunday’s game will be more like a real game in terms of playing time for people.”
Montana lost Rogers from last year’s team, in addition to point guard Mandy Morales, a two-time Big Sky Conference MVP, and Britney Lohman, a three-time second team All-Big Sky selection.
The only returning starters are senior guard/forward Lauren Beck and junior forward Sarah Ena, the team’s leading returning scorer (10.7 ppg) and rebounder (6.8 rpg).
“I think this group has the potential to be a good team, but we’ve learned the first couple weeks of practice that there are still a lot of things up in the air that need to be figured out,” Selvig added. “That’s not going to happen Sunday, and that’s not going to happen by next Friday. We’re going to have to be playing games before we get things solved and roles developed.”
Senior point guard Shaunte Nance-Johnson led Maroon to a 70-46 victory over Silver two weeks ago, scoring a game-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting. With just over a week to go before the season opener, she appears to be in position to take over the point guard duties vacated by Morales.
Beck and Ena, who both averaged 24 minutes per game last season playing at the three and four, respectively, have also been playing well in the preseason.
“I think Shaunte is doing a real good job at the point, and I expected her to,” Selvig said. “She is not only the most experienced player at that position, but she’s a good player. You don’t want to not be good at the point.
“Our returning kids that played a lot last year are playing solidly, which is good. Sarah and Lauren are providing some nice leadership.”
Six of Montana’s 14 players are either redshirt or true freshmen. The Lady Griz’ three newcomers who signed National Letters of Intent last November, Katie Baker, Kenzie De Boer and Alyssa Smith, have practiced themselves into potential (major) roles in their first season.
Baker posted a double-double at the Maroon and Silver scrimmage with 11 points and a team-high 14 rebounds, Smith had 13 points and seven rebounds and De Boer finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Smith and De Boer combined to go 6-for-11 from 3-point range.
“We have a lot of battling going on. Part of that is that we have three freshmen this year that are looking like they are going to be helping us, which I didn’t know would be the case (prior to the season),” Selvig said. “They’ve performed well.
“They’re talented players, and they’ve joined a team that has a lot of spots open. We don’t have returning all-conference upperclassmen like we do some years. They’re fast learners, which means they’re already battling for time. I’m really happy with the progress they’ve made.”
Sunday’s game will be aired on KENR 107.5 FM in the Missoula area, with Tom Stage and Dick Slater on the broadcast.
The Montana basketball coaches shows will be starting Monday night at 7 p.m. Men’s basketball coach Wayne Tinkle will be on the air from 7 to 7:30 p.m., with Selvig following from 7:30 to 8 p.m.
The coaches shows air on KVEW 101.5 FM.
The shows will remain in that time slot until the Griz football season is over. Basketball will then move to the 6 to 7 p.m. time slot, which is currently filled by UM football coach Bobby Hauck.