MOSCOW, Idaho – Members of both the men's and women's basketball team took some time to speak with the local and national media on Thursday afternoon for the annual Big Sky Media Day.  Both squads have championship aspirations heading into the 2016-17 season that is just a few short weeks away.
 
"I thought we had a great offseason," said head men's basketball coach Don Verlin.  "Our guys did a great job, right from the spring season all the way into the summer and it was highlighted by our foreign trip to China.  I thought it gave our team a chance to gel and become a better basketball team.
 
"For the first time since I've been at Idaho we have 12 returning players.  Four of our starters are back, eight of our 10 leading scorers are back and we also added two very good newcomers in BJ Blake and Trevon Allen.  We're extremely excited about this basketball season.  We had a great offseason and my guys have come in in fabulous shape.  We have worked hard through the fall as we get ready for this season."
 
"I think we have had a great offseason," said associate head coach Christa Sanford. "We do not require players to stay here over the summer. After winning the conference championship last year all of them took to heart what hard work means. They all came back in great shape in August. We have four newcomers and they are still trying to find their own. They are getting used to the demands of practicing at this level. We have a great group of returning players. We are flowing in all cylinders. It is exciting. I am excited to see this team really gel.
 
"The team worked hard this spring. We were expecting some tired bodies, but the day we started individuals they were going as hard as they were at the end of March. We do a lot of team bonding over the summer. Our girls come back and that first day of school they are excited to see their teammates and coaches. They are refreshed, reenergized and ready to go. Since our first team meeting it has been full cylinders ahead."
 
The players on both sides shared the optimism heading into the year.
 
"We know we have to work just as hard if we want to be conference champions again," point guard Karlee Wilson said.  "We came back just as hungry as we were when we missed the conference tournament. I think we are working just as hard as we did before.
 
"We talked as a team after the preseason polls came out. It is great to be honored and recognized as program. But that is all based on what we did last year. It should give us motivation to come out in the preseason and work even harder to prove to everybody that that is where we should be. That is why we have worked as hard as we have, to be the top team in those polls. We have to prove ourselves every day in practice."
 
"It's a really good thing, like you said a lot of guys are coming back," said point guard Perrion Callandret.  Guys who know what it takes to have a great season and know the drive and how much hard work you have to put in.  It's pretty much up to us to show the younger guys, or the new guys, what it really takes.
 
"I feel like it's the best situation possible.  We lost a couple great guys, especially Chris Sarbaugh, who came in as a transfer and had a big impact from the beginning.  But now it's up to us upper classmen to fill that role too and try to show the younger guys, the guys we'll really need throughout the season, what it really takes.  Hopefully we can keep up with what we're doing and make a big impact on this conference."
 
The men will play two exhibitions at home, on October 25 and November 4, before opening the season in Memorial Gym against Corban University on November 12 at 8 p.m.  The women get things started with an exhibition at home against Multnomah on November 5 before hitting the road for Seattle U on November 11.  Idaho's first regular season home game will come on December 17 when the Vandals host Central Washington.