Both Vandal basketball programs in danger
The potential of a harsh reality looms for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams as both are on the cusp of not making the Big Sky Conference Tournament at the end of the season.
Korbin McDonald | Argonaut
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, though.
The women’s basketball team was supposed to make the transition to its new conference with ease and continue its championship ways. The men’s team, if not for all the close defeats, could have exceeded its preseason expectations.
However, with less than a month left in the regular season, both teams look like they could be on the outside looking in come conference tournament time — something not many fans would have seen coming.
The women’s team is the bigger surprise of the two. After back-to-back WAC championships, the Vandals were picked to finish third by the Big Sky coaches in the preseason polls. After 10 conference games so far this season, Idaho sits near the bottom in 11th place out of the 12 programs.
With eight games left to play and a conference record of 3-7, Idaho is 1.5 games back of the current No. 8 seed, Weber State (5-6). A No. 8 seed or better is needed in order to make the conference tournament.
The Vandals have yet to play two of the remaining eight teams left on their schedule (Northern Arizona and Southern Utah), and have a 2-4 record against the other six teams.
There is still hope, although a very small amount, for the Vandals making the cut. In order for it to happen, Idaho needs to win most, if not all, of its games and for the teams ahead of them to lose games.
The reason not to give up hope, however, is because this is still a championship team that only lost one senior last year, even if it was a very good player in Alyssa Charlston. It’s only a matter of time before they snap out of it and starts playing like the Big Sky coaches thought they could at the beginning of the season — at least this is the hope.
Unlike the women’s team, the men’s basketball team holds its destiny in its own hands. The Vandals currently hold the final eighth slot in the conference tournament, but not by much. North Dakota sits lurking in ninth place, just a half game behind Idaho.
Might this be a similar team compared to last year’s Vandals? The same one that limped into the WAC Tournament and surprised many by defeating two higher seeded opponents before losing in the championship game to New Mexico State?
This year’s Vandals certainly have the same vibe, and while they’ve lost most of their close games, they’ve proved they can hang with the best teams in the Big Sky.
In the two games against Eastern Washington, who is currently in second place, Idaho lost by a combined six points. In the first meeting at Sacramento State, the team only lost by three.
It’s certainly not out of the question to think this team can make a run in the final eight games of the season, make the conference tournament and, dare I say it, win the thing.
With games against Sacramento State, Montana and Portland State left on the schedule, as well as a trip to play a Weber State team looking to avenge its loss to Idaho, the path to this dream won’t be easy.
Korbin McDonald can be reached at [email protected]