Conference play for women’s basketball is in full swing for the WAC, and nearly every team looks competitive so far.
Amrah Canul | Argonaut
Vandal guard Alyssa Charlston attempts a three-point shot over Redhawk forward Brenda Adhiambo Dec. 29 in the Cowan Spectrum.
The top four teams in the conference are within one game of each other, while the rest aren’t far behind. Those top teams have all played a lot of close games as well, showing there’s no one favorite to take the WAC regular season crown
The young Vandal team has fared decently in the early goings. Idaho has an overall record of 4-10 and 1-2 in the WAC. Idaho is sitting in sixth place in the conference. The Vandals had a tough preseason schedule, but the team has shown improvement.
Idaho’s two WAC losses were both close, including a tough loss to Utah State when the Vandals couldn’t hold onto a lead late in the second half. The record may not show it, but the Vandals have the potential to be dangerous to the WAC’s top teams.
Utah State was the preseason favorite to win the conference, but it’s Seattle U that currently sits atop the conference standings with a conference record of 4-0. New Mexico State, Denver and Utah State are all right on the heels of the Redhawks with a WAC record of 3-1.
The only team yet to snag a conference win is Texas State. The Bobcats sit at 0-4 in the conference, just behind La. Tech and Texas-San Antonio at 1-3.
The Vandals have the fifth best offense in the conference, thanks in large part to the number of 3-pointers Idaho is knocking down. The Vandals have set program records for 3-pointers in a game twice this season, most recently against Utah State with 15, and have made the most in the conference.
Utah State’s Devyn Christensen continues to add to an already impressive career this season, leading the conference in scoring with 21.1 points-per-game. Christensen, the preseason WAC Player of the Year, also leads the conference in free-throws, hitting 95.3 percent of her opportunities from the charity stripe. Behind her is Texas State’s Diamond Ford who averages 21 points-per-game. Idaho’s leading scorer is junior Alyssa Charlston who is averaging 13.9 points and is shooting an even 47 percent from the floor.
The teams will battle for a cherished NCAA berth at the WAC Tournament which begins March 13 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Kevin Bingaman can be reached at [email protected]