Women’s basketball: USU rolls in home opener
Using talent and teamwork Monday night at the Spectrum, the USU women’s basketball team gave spectators some insight into the team’s ability with a 73-46 exhibition victory over Montana Tech.
USU senior guard Danyelle Snelgro, a preseason all-WAC selection, scored a team-high 12 points and grabbed four rebounds to lead the Aggies. Sophomore guard Alice Coddington of Canberra, Australia, was the only other Aggie to score in double figures. In 29 minutes she scored 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field and added five rebounds.
USU head coach Regan Pebley praised the Aggie freshmen.
“I like our freshmen class and I like how they are really trying to learn from out returners,” Pebley said. “The returners have a lot to do with our freshmen class development. I think there is a lot of potential in that group. With most freshmen and newcomers you are going to see some inconsistencies. But tonight overall, I saw what I expected and that pleased me.”
USU newcomer Lydia Whitehead, who redshirted last season, had seven rebounds and nine points. Leading the boards for the Aggies was junior center/forward Nicole Johnson. She tallied eight rebounds, two offensive and six defensive. Senior guard Ana Pares collected five rebounds. The Aggies outrebounded the Orediggers, 41-33.
Freshman Chelsea Burns scored nine points and sophomore Stacey Howard contributed five points to the Aggies lead.
The had a 35-point first half, with six from Johnson and five from Whitehead. They also led by as many as 22, while scoring 24 points in the paint.
The Aggies showed strength on defense in the first half as they held the Orediggers to 6-of-32 shooting.
In the second half Montana Tech cut the Aggie lead to 13, but the Aggies eventually stretched it out to as many as 27.
The game ended with USU shooting 52.7 percent from the field, 29-for-55, and held Montana Tech with only 27.1 percent shooting (16-for-59).
“Setting the standard of good habits and expectations might be just what the team needed to keep the newcomers united and up to speed,” Pebley said.
Proving to be united and learning from the returners, the freshmen on the team seem to be staying on track, Pebley said. She said the team has set a good pace to follow for Friday’s exhibition game, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum against Dixie State.
–c.child@aggiemail.usu.eduLC