NOTES WATCH LISTEN LIVE STATS
Moscow, Idaho- The University of Idaho women's basketball team will open their 2020-21 road season in Austin, Texas against the No. 23 ranked Texas Longhorns on Wednesday Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. PT. Wednesday's game marks the third meeting all-time between the two programs.
Fans can watch the game live on the Longhorn Network. Listen to the game at Govandlas.com/listen and on KMAX 840 AM with Doug Taylor. Live stats can be found
here.
The Vandals (2-0, 2-0) are coming off a season opening sweep over Big Sky foe Sacramento State. Idaho defeated the Hornets 97-73 to open the season and completed the sweep the next day with an 81-70 victory. No. 23 Texas (3-1,0-0) enters the 3-1 on the season after suffering their first loss of the season to No.12. /13 Texas A&M on Sunday. The Longhorns have yet to play a game on the road.
Idaho and Texas last met during the 2013 season on Dec. 28th. Texas took the win 87-58.
Gabi Harrington leads the Vandals in scoring to begin the season while five other Vandals are averaging double-digit points per game.
Natalie Klinker leads Idaho and the NCAA on the glass averaging 16.0 rebounds per game. She also leads in offensive rebounds with 8.5 per game. Her rebounding efforts on the offensive glass have resulted in a successful second chance points effort for the Vandals and has sent her to the free-throw line nine times so far. Klinker was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Monday.
Gina Marxen leads the Vandals in assists with 7.5 per game. The point guards' efforts rank Idaho as the best team in the Big sky in terms of ball control. Freshman
Paris Atchley leads Idaho off the bench with 12 points per game and is shooting 52.4 percent from the field.
The Longhorns are led by Charli Collier, one of the top players in the country who is averaging 26.3 points per game to begin the season. Texas features three additional players averaging in double-figures this season. In addition to leading the scoring effort Collier is averaging a double-double with 12 rebounds per game as well. Audery Warren leads the assist effort for Texas averaging 3.0 per game. Collier is also shooting 59.6 percent from the field to lead the Longhorns.
The Vandals were picked to finish first in the Big Sky Coaches' and Media polls announced last month, earning 16 first place votes in the media poll and four in the coaches' poll. Marxen and Bea each earned Big Sky Preseason All-Conference recognition. Texas was picked to finish second in the Big 12 this season just behind Baylor. The Longhorns garnered 73 total points and one first place vote in the poll. They finished 11-7 in the Big 12 a year ago.
Idaho and Texas last faced off on Dec. 28th, 2013 in Austin as the Longhorns took the win 87-58. Alyssa Charleston led the Vandals with 13 points and seven boards. That Idaho team went on to win the WAC Championship and faced Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament. From 2013-2017 the Vandals won two WAC Championships and one Big Sky Championship, making three NCAA tournaments in four years. Idaho won 25 games in 2013-14.
This marks the third matchup all-time between the two programs and this first since 2013. Texas leads the series 2-0 and is 1-0 at home.
FOLLOW: Fans can follow the Vandals all season long on Twitter and Instagram, @VandalsWBB and with the Voice of the Vandals, Doug Taylor, at
GoVandals.com/Listen. The game will air on the Longhorn Network.
