2006-07 Montana women's basketball season outlook

When University of Montana women's basketball coach Robin Selvig sits at his desk this time of year and pores over his 2006-07 roster, he has a just-out-of-the-box jigsaw puzzle at his fingertips. Granted, it is a puzzle that has only 14 pieces and there are probably dozens of easy ways to put it together if his only objective was putting five random players on the floor at a time, but there is only one final pattern that is acceptable to him and his team: one that looks like an NCAA tournament logo.

Like any puzzle-maker, Selvig has the four corner pieces he needs to get things moving toward his goal in lone senior Sara Gale and returning starters junior Dana Conway and sophomore Mandy Morales and Tamara Guardipee.

Katie Edwards and Jody McLeod were lost to graduation, but four other letterwinners return, all of whom made solid contributions in 2005-06 when the Lady Griz went 21-7 and finished second in the Big Sky Conference at 10-4. Call them the edge pieces: Juniors Johanna Closson and Laura Cote and sophomores Britney Lohman and Sonya Rogers. Closson, Cote and Rogers all averaged more than 11 minutes per game last season, while Lohman saw action in 25 games.

And the middle pieces of the puzzle, which brings all the corner and edges together: Junior Jackie DeShazer, sophomore Betsy Snead, redshirt freshmen Lauren Beck and Shadra Robison and incoming freshmen Jessa Linford of Seeley Lake, Mont., and Stephanie Stender of Sheridan, Wyo.

"We've got a lot of things to decide," said Selvig, whose career record of 645-188 (.774) has him among the leaders in Division I women's basketball in both wins and winning percentage. "We return a lot of playing experience, but some new faces have jumped into the picture, so we've got a lot of kids vying for playing time.

"But that is usually the case unless you return everybody. So what kind of look we'll have when we take the floor has yet to be determined."

Morales and Edwards made up Montana's starting backcourt in the Lady Griz' final 20 games last year and notched some impressive accolades. Edwards ended her career as a two-time All-Big Sky Conference selection and the Montana and Big Sky Conference leader in career 3-pointers (236), while Morales was a unanimous selection to the All-BSC team and was named a Kodak/WBCA honorable mention All-American, one of only three freshmen nationally to be recognized along with Courtney Paris of Oklahoma and Candace Parker of Tennessee.

Rogers started the first seven games last season at the point, then became Morales' back-up when she returned from an early-season injury.

Morales may see more time away from the point, where her play-making ability and athleticism might be better put to use, but Rogers is one of the best outside shooters on the team, something that can go underutilized at the point guard position.

"We need to figure out who's going to do a bulk of the time at the point, because Mandy can play the two or three as well, as can Sonya," Selvig said. "Or Lauren could play the point for that matter, so we need to figure out who's going to be running the team."

Morales? Rogers? Beck? By committee? You can just picture Selvig putting the puzzle pieces together, taking a second to ponder what he's come up with, then taking them apart and trying it again.

A fourth option, depending on her health, is DeShazer, who gained valuable experience as the backup to Brooklynn Lorenzen during Montana's 2003-04 NCAA tournament season, but who has not seen a minute of action since that season's Louisiana Tech tournament game due to lingering injuries.

Depending on what happens at the point, Morales, Rogers and/or Beck will also see time at the two or three, along with Conway and Cote.

Conway, along with Edwards and Morales, was one of three players to average over 30 minutes per game last season, while the athletic Cote came off the bench to see action in 26 games.

Linford and Stender, both redshirt candidates for 2006-07, could also provide depth at the wing.

Closson, who split time with the graduated McLeod at the four last year, is the natural successor to the starting spot, while Guardipee returns at center, where she started 28 games as a freshman in 2005-06.

Gale (15.9 mpg) and Lohman (7.6 mpg) both saw considerable action off the bench last season. They will be joined in the four-five rotation by sophomore Betsy Snead, who is eligible after sitting out the 2005-06 season after transferring from Xavier, and Shadra Robison, who redshirted last season.

"Obviously Johanna has had a couple of good years, so we're looking for her to emerge at the four," Selvig said. "Tamara had a great freshman year, plus we've got Britney, who finished her freshman season strong, and two redshirts coming into the picture in Betsy and Shadra, and Sara returning as our only senior."

When all is said and done and Selvig can relax and look at the finished puzzle next March, what will he see? Will the pieces form a Big Sky Conference regular-season championship team? Maybe the program's 17th NCAA tournament appearance?

"Last year was a good year," Selvig said. "I felt good about how we played, but you always want a little bit more.

"The team worked very hard this summer and showed me they are motivated. They want to get back to the NCAA tournament this year. That's their goal.

"We had a lot of young kids playing last year, so I think we should be an improved team. I think we have good team speed and quickness. I think we're a good shooting team, but we'll need to have more of an inside game.

"We'll also be looking for more offense and more consistency on offense. I think that's what we didn't have last year, and hopefully it's because we were young.

"I think we should be pretty deep if some kids come through like I think they will.

"Overall, I think the cumulative effect of everything is that we'll be better."

The Senior

Sara Gale (6-2, center, Corvallis, Ore.) saw limited court time as a freshman (2002-03) and sophomore (2004-05) and dealt with injury in 2003-04, when she redshirted. She finally saw some extensive playing time last year, getting on the court in all 28 games, averaging just under 16 minutes per game. She averaged 3.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and finished second on the team in blocked shots with 29.

Gale is a true post player with strong back-to-the-basket moves who can step out to 15 feet and hit the perimeter jumper.

"Sara is strong around the basket and is a good post scorer," Selvig said. "She also has the confidence in her perimeter game to spot up and shoot the 15 footer, and she runs the floor well.

"Last year was her first real year of playing, and she's been making great strides. Sara should be a strong contributor to the success of this year's team."

The Juniors

Johanna Closson (6-0, forward, Whitefish, Mont.) is a sweet-shooting forward who has been an impact player since her first collegiate game in 2004-05 when she posted 11 points and nine rebounds. Coming off the bench as a sophomore last year behind McLeod at the four, Closson averaged 7.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She is a career 83.1 percent free throw shooter.

"Johanna worked extremely hard in the off-season, and that's showing up this fall," Selvig said. "She's been beating everyone in pre-season conditioning, and she's in the best shape she's ever been in.

"We're looking for Johanna to emerge this year and grasp the four position. She is a very talented player with a very good pull-up and 3-point shot, and her turnaround jumper is as good as any we've had in this program.

"More minutes will only help her confidence, and I think she has a chance to be a great player when it's all said and done."

Dana Conway (5-10, guard/forward, Billings, Mont.) enters the 2006-07 season as UM's starter at the small forward, but can also move up and play the two due to her solid handling skills. After serving as a role player off the bench in 2004-05, Conway emerged as a threat last season, when she averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing over 30 minutes per game.

Conway, who was named MVP of last year's Lady Griz Holiday Classic, is one of the team's top shooters, averaging 42.1 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from 3-point range and 80.5 percent from the line.

"Dana is a good all-around player and someone who works hard all the time at both ends of the floor," Selvig said. "Defensively she is extremely intense and aggressive and one of our better defenders. Offensively she is a versatile scorer who can score inside or out.

"We expect a strong year out of her."

Laura Cote (5-8, guard, Gardiner, Mont.) has been a role player off the bench her first two seasons, but with that experience should see more minutes in 2006-07. She averaged 2.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 26 games last season but showed flashes of her potential with a 14-point outing against Rocky Mountain and two nine-point efforts.

"Laura is very athletic and has good skills, and she's had some great moments. But now we're looking for her to become a more consistent and more complete player," Selvig said. "Laura is extremely quick with the basketball. Her first step is quick as can be. That quickness also makes her one of our better defenders."

Jackie DeShazer (5-7, guard, Libby, Mont.) has had a career riddled by injury after a promising freshman campaign in 2003-04. She has not seen the floor since the Louisiana Tech NCAA tournament game in March 2004, a season in which DeShazer averaged 8.8 minutes per game and finished fourth on the team with 33 assists and had a sterling 2.1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

"Jackie's been out, so it's hard to say what she can offer us," Selvig said. "The number one thing will be getting cleared to play again, then returning to game shape.

"Jackie was an outstanding shooter who got valuable experience as a freshman, so we're just hoping she can function and have a chance to show what she can do for an extended period of time."

The Sophomores

Tamara Guardipee (6-2, center, Browning, Mont.) filled an immediate need her freshman season by filling the post void left by Hollie Tyler and Crystal Baird, who both graduated after the 2004-05 season. Guardipee stepped in and started all 28 games at center in 2005-06, averaging 6.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and shooting 43.2 percent from the floor.

Following Tyler, UM's top career shot blocker with 297, Guardipee led the Big Sky Conference and was 27th nationally with 60 blocks (2.1 bpg).

"I'm really happy with Tam's play and work in the pre-season," Selvig said. "She's getting to be a better basketball player every day by developing more of a complete game.

"Tam is becoming a much better scorer inside, which is a nice complement to her shot blocking and post passing game. Tam is a force in the game because of the way she can block and change shots."

Britney Lohman (6-1, forward, Bozeman, Mont.) averaged nearly eight minutes per game as a freshman in 2005-06 because of her defensive abilities and toughness. At 6-1, Lohman was one of UM's better interior defenders, but also showed some offensive spark, including a 10-point outing against New Orleans in the opening round of the 2005 Lady Griz Holiday Classic.

"Britney finished strong last season playing both the four and five for us," Selvig said. "She was that rare freshman who can be a really good defender because she is so fundamentally sound on the defensive end and always playing hard.

"She enters this season as probably our best defender because she can guard quicker people as well as size people.

"We may look for her to play more on the perimeter this year, but she has the feet and is developing the skills to do it. She's a good shooter and becoming a better scorer."

Much was expected of Mandy Morales (5-9, guard, Billings, Mont.) prior to her freshman season in 2005-06, yet Morales still managed to exceed those expectations, capping her year with a unanimous All-Big Sky Conference selection and Kodak/WBCA honorable mention All-America honors.

Sidelined with an injury for the season's opening five games, Morales returned on Dec. 10 and led the Lady Griz to nine straight wins and an 18-5 record over their final 23 games with her in the lineup. She scored in double figures in 20 of the 21 games she started, with six occasions of at least 20 points.

Morales led UM in five statistical categories, including scoring average (15.9 ppg), assists (4.1 apg) and steals (2.2 spg). She also ranked among the Big Sky leaders in nine of the league's 12 statistical categories and had the highest scoring average by a Lady Griz freshman in program history.

"Mandy is as complete a player as we've had here and a big part of what this team does," Selvig said. "She is so versatile. We can use her from the point guard to the three, and she makes all her teammates better because of her ability to penetrate and break defenses down.

"Mandy is also a great leader. She was the one getting the girls into the gym all summer, and she's the one that stayed here and lifted.

"She had a great freshman year, and she has the chance to be a great player if she continues to grow and improve."

Sonya Rogers (5-7, guard, Lewistown, Mont.) was thrust into a starting role from her first collegiate game in 2005-06 due to Morales' injury and she delivered immediately, averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 assists in UM's opening two games. Rogers eventually started seven games and saw action in all 28, finishing second on the team with 59 assists and averaging 4.8 points per game, mainly by hitting 38.9 percent of her 3-point shots.

"Sonya worked extremely hard in the off-season and keeps getting better every day," Selvig said. "She's probably our best shooter, and she can play both the one and two for us.

"Sonya has point guard savvy, but she can also shoot the heck out of the ball, so we may be able to get her more shots if she is at the two.

"And she is as competitive as competitive gets, right down to getting upset if she doesn't win conditioning things we do in the fall."

Betsy Snead (6-2, forward/center, Gillette, Wyo.) enters the fray this year after sitting out the 2005-06 season. Snead, a strong, athletic player who was named Wyoming's Miss Basketball as a senior, was recruited out of Campbell County High School by the Lady Griz, but she chose to attend Xavier, where she played sparingly for one year before transferring to UM.

"Betsy is as athletic a player as we have," Selvig said. "She has good size, good speed and good quickness, and to make us the best team, we need to utilize her strength inside.

"Betsy has good perimeter skills, but we'd like to see her continue to expand her game to where she has the ability to score, rebound and defend inside."

The Freshmen

Lauren Beck (6-0, guard/forward, Great Falls, Mont.) and Shadra Robison (6-3, center, Billings, Mont.) both redshirted in 2005-06 and will enter their freshman seasons with a year's experience under their belts.

"I thought Lauren had a great redshirt season," Selvig said. "She is another very versatile player that can play the one, two or three for us because she can handle, she's a good shooter and she has different ways to get to the basket.

"On defense she can create havoc because she has long arms, so Lauren is definitely going to be in the mix, and I expect a good contribution out of her.

"Shadra is a true post player for us, and I thought she had a good redshirt year. She'll battle Tam and Sara for playing time at the five.

"Shadra is a strong player. She posts up as strong as any girl we've had here recently. When she comes along defensively, I think she could be a great scorer for us."

Incoming freshmen are Jessa Linford (6-1, forward, Seeley Lake, Mont.) and Stephanie Stender (5-11, guard/forward, Sheridan, Wyo.).

Linford led Seeley-Swan High School to a 15-12 record as a senior, averaging 17 points and eight blocked shots per game, which followed the Blackhawks' state runner-up finish in 2005. A talented track and field athlete, Linford won 2006 Montana Class B state titles in the 100-meter hurdles (15.86) and high jump (5-2).

"Jessa is an exciting athlete," Selvig said. "She can run, she can jump and she has good basketball skills. We're probably looking at her as a perimeter and an inside player, but probably more on the perimeter this season, not only for her own development but also for practice purposes.

"I've been impressed with Jessa so far this fall with what she's done on the basketball floor. You want to have athleticism. Speed and quickness are tough to teach people, so she has a bright future.

Stender averaged 16.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game as a senior, leading Sheridan High School to the Wyoming Class 4A state consolation championship. She was named the 4A North Conference Player of the Year as a senior and earned all-conference and all-state honors as a junior and senior.

Stender was also an all-state volleyball player.

"Steph is another really good athlete," Selvig said. "She can play either small forward or big guard, she's a very good shooter and she's as strong a rebounder as we have. I'm excited about her potential.

"Steph is an awesome kid, just bubbly and outgoing, so she's fun to be around. She's always got a smile on her face, but she's also a very good competitor."

A Look Back

Montana went 21-7 in 2005-06, the team's 24th 20-win season in 28 years under Selvig. The Lady Griz went 10-4 in Big Sky Conference play to finish in second place, then ended their season with a 73-66 semifinal loss to Northern Arizona in the Big Sky tournament.

Another successful season, certainly, but for a program that's been to 16 NCAA tournaments since 1983, has a trip to the Big Dance become the annual measuring stick for the team?

"It was a good year," Selvig said. "The league was very competitive, and the team that was playing its best basketball of the season at tournament time was the team that was going to win it and go to the NCAAs.

"We would have liked to have finished it a little stronger, but I felt good about how the team played. It's just that you always want a little bit more."

Montana opened the season going 3-2, with back-to-back losses at Florida State, 69-56, and at Wyoming, 50-45, though both were teams that would go on to 20-win seasons and get selected to national tournaments (the Seminoles played in the NCAAs while the Cowgirls were picked for the WNIT).

The return of freshman Mandy Morales came in the season's sixth game, which started a nine-game winning streak. That stretch included a tournament championship at the 26th annual Lady Griz Holiday Classic with wins over New Orleans and UNC Asheville.

Montana's eventual second-place finish in the Big Sky instead of its 20th regular-season conference championship probably came down to early-season struggles, when the team opened league play 3-3 with two home losses.

Those three losses came by a grand total of eight points, which meant the Lady Griz were close to putting everything together.

What started a six-game winning streak and got Montana back into the Big Sky race was a record-setting 105-55 home-court victory over Idaho State, which would go on to win the league with an 11-3 record.

The Lady Griz opened a 32-point lead in the game's first 15 minutes against the Bengals and would go 16-for-24 from 3-point range in matching the program record for points in a game.

The winning streak set up a showdown at Idaho State on the regular season's final weekend, with both teams sitting atop the league at 9-3.

Montana would never lead in the game, falling 71-57, but would go on to defeat Weber State by 14 two nights later to secure the No. 2 seed in the BSC tournament.

"We dug a hole early in the conference when we lost a couple of home games early (to Northern Arizona by five and Weber State by one), but we came back and were in the hunt the last weekend," Selvig said.

"And we beat those two teams that got us at home when we went back to their place, but you'd prefer not to have to do that."

Though Montana finished second, a closer look at the numbers reveal that the Lady Griz had as good a season as anyone in the league in 2005-06. In league games, UM ranked first in the Big Sky in scoring defense (58.4 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.348), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.294), scoring margin (+14.7 ppg), rebound margin (+6.4 ppg) and blocked shots (6.00 bpg).

If it was the hottest team that would win the Big Sky tournament, then that team was No. 3 seed Northern Arizona, which defeated No. 6 Portland State, No. 2 Montana and No. 5 Weber State (which upset host and No. 1 seed Idaho State in the semifinals) to advance to the NCAA tournament.

NAU, which received a No. 14 seed in the NCAA tournament, fell to No. 3 Baylor in the first round, while Idaho State was selected to play in the WNIT, where the Bengals lost at Kansas State in the opening round.

The Non-Conference Schedule

The season opens with Sunday home games against MSU-Billings (18-9 in 2005-06) and Gonzaga (16-14) on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 before Montana travels to Ohio State's tournament. The Lady Griz will face Davidson (17-12) in one opening-round game, while the host Buckeyes (29-3) will take on Cornell (8-19) in the other.

Ohio State, which is ranked No. 3 nationally in Slam Magazine's preseason poll, earned a No. 1 seed in the Albuquerque Regional at the 2006 NCAA tournament but was upset by Boston College in the tournament's second round. The Buckeyes return 6-5 senior center Jessica Davenport, a two-time Big 10 Player of the Year and two-time Kodak All-American.

"Ohio State was a No. 1 seed in last year's NCAA tournament, and it's a place that draws people (OSU was 19th in the nation in attendance in 2005-06 at 5,261 fans per game), so we'd love to get a chance to play them," Selvig said. "But we're going to have to beat a good Davidson team to get that opportunity."

The Lady Griz follow the OSU tournament with home games against Wyoming (21-9 and WNIT participant), Portland (4-24) and Utah State (3-24) before road games at Washington State (8-20), Idaho (10-19), Cal State Northridge (10-20) and Santa Clara (19-12 and WNIT participant) close out the pre-Christmas schedule.

The 27th Lady Griz Holiday Classic takes place Dec. 28-29. Idaho and Wyoming will square off in one game on opening night, while Montana will host Canisius (18-11) in the other.

The 2006-07 Big Sky Conference

Selvig and the Lady Griz will have their hands full if they want to make a run toward the 2007 NCAA tournament. The Big Sky Conference is loaded with returning talent. Nine of the league's top 10 scorers and eight all-conference players from a year ago are back, with Weber State and Montana State returning all five of their starters, and Idaho State, Northern Arizona and Portland State each returning four starters.

"The league is going to be very competitive, as it was last year," Selvig said. "There are going to be a lot of tough games and I think a lot of close games. There could be a handful of different teams that are in the hunt coming down to the last weekend."

With the addition of Northern Colorado to the conference and therefore a nine-team league, the Big Sky Conference schedule will have a different look in 2006-07 from previous years.

"It's a strange set-up, but any time you go to nine teams that's what you're going to be dealing with," Selvig said. "I'm sure every team is going to feel like there are some tough things they have to deal with."

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