The Weber State University women’s basketball team is getting ready for a big game against in-state opponent Utah Valley University.
The Wildcats will be playing the Wolverines on Tuesday night in Orem, Utah. The teams met twice last season, and the Wildcats came up short both times, with a score of 59-63 on Dec. 8 and 65-72 on Dec. 21.
WSU is looking for its first win of the season. The team has a current record of 0-5 after two solid preseason wins. UVU has an overall record of 1-6 this season.
The Wildcats are coming off a 67-44 loss to the University of New Mexico Lobos last Tuesday.
Members of the WSU roster are moving on after their recent loss and looking at how they can continue to improve.
“Going on from our last game,” said freshman guard Desiree Ramos, “I would have to say we will focus more on boxing out and getting more defensive stops. Our defense just needs to pick up a little more.”
Although the Wildcats are still winless, positive aspects of their game are being recognized. Ramos said she believes their future is very bright.
“I think our transition game is getting better,” she said. “We’re starting to figure it out. Our transition game is going to be a big help to us and will be deadly once we start getting that going more. We’re going to pretty much be unstoppable once we get all the chemistry flowing. We practice transitions all the time in practice. It really comes naturally to us — we’re a very athletic team. We have guards that get up and tell us where we are at, and our post (players) can run it also. Our transition game is (one of) our big keys to see wins.”
As time goes on, certain factors that strengthen the team become stronger. WSU senior forward Amanda Hughes, who led the Wildcats in scoring last game, said it will be important to take direction and understand each other as a team.
“We’re just going to work on all the little things that Coach (Bethann Ord) keeps preaching to us during practice and carry them over to the games,” Hughes said. “We just need to make sure that everyone helps out by communicating and on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. We can also improve our boxing out and rebounding and all of the little things.”
The Wildcats are in the middle of a four-game road trip. Following their game against UVU, they will head to the University of Wyoming on Dec. 14. Their road trip will finish with a game against the University of Arizona on Dec. 16.
Although it can be more intimidating to play on the road, Hughes said it won’t cause many problems for the hopeful team.
“It doesn’t affect us too much,” she said. “We do have a younger team, so there is a different atmosphere. It’s not too tough, but everybody is getting used to the routine we’re working on as far as road trips go. We’ve only had two so far. It’s still an adjustment for us as a team, but we’re just getting better each and every day.”
Ramos said she sees good things for the Wildcats in the very near future and invites all WSU fans to support the women’s team.
“We would be very happy to see a little more support for Weber State!” she said with a bit of a laugh. “I feel that, coming up, we’re going to be very, very good. We’re young, but we’re going to show a different side of us once conference (games) hit.”
