Homecoming Weekend As Broncos Head To Seattle For Husky Classic

2018 Husky Classic
Boise State (6-2) vs. Saint Francis (2-6)
Saturday, Dec. 15 • 5 p.m. MT
Seattle, Wash. • Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion
Series: Boise State leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Boise State 87, Saint Francis 59 - Boise, Idaho
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BOISE, Idaho - Boise State makes its final road trip of the non-conference slate this weekend, traveling to Seattle for the Husky Classic at the University of Washington. The Broncos will open play Saturday at 5 p.m. MT against Saint Francis (Pa.), and, depending on the outcome, will face either Whost Washington or Montana Sunday.

HOMECOMING FOR BRONCO QUINTET: This weekend's trip to Seattle marks a homecoming for a quintet of Broncos from the Emerald City and its surrounding suburbs.

Senior forward Joyce Harrell (Seattle), redshirt senior center Marijke Vanderschaaf (Sammamish), redshirt junior guards Jayde Christopher (Federal Way) and Ellie Woerner (Sammamish), and freshman guard Jade Loville (Sammamish) will all return to family, friends, and former high school and club teammates for the Husky Classic.

Christopher, Harrell, Vanderschaaf, and Woerner all played club basketball together for Tree of Hope under Damian Young. Christopher and Harrell were prep teammates at Cleveland High School, leading the Eagles to back-to-back 3A state titles in 2013-14. Vanderschaaf and Woerner, meanwhile, were prep teammates at Eastlake High School, where both were all-conference players.

Loville played her prep ball for Skyline High School, where she led the state in scoring at 37.1 points per game, and played club for Emerald City.

LAST TIME OUT: Boise State bounced back from its first road loss of the season, getting back into the win column with a 67-55 victory at Taco Bell Arena over Eastern Washington.

Redshirt junior forward A'Shanti Coleman led four Broncos in double figures with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting while making a career-best five steals.

Junior guard Braydey Hodgins made her first three 3-point attempts of the game, finishing with 14 points, while Riley Lupfer (11 points, three 3-pointers), and Joyce Harrell (10 points) rounded out the Broncos in double figures.

WHO'S NEXT: The Broncos head to Seattle for the Husky Classic, opening Saturday against Saint Francis (Pa.) at 5 p.m. MT. Depending on the outcome, Boise State will face either host Washington or Montana in Sunday's championship or consolation game.

Saint Francis is 2-6 this year after winning the NEC and making the NCAA Tournament a season ago. The Red Flash is led by senior Jess Kovatch (17.9 ppg, 28 3-pointers), who made 141 3-pointers last season. Last Dec. 21, the Broncos defeated the Red Flash, 87-59, at Taco Bell Arena.

Washington (6-3) has won three-straight heading into the weekend, and this year has wins over Duke and Ohio State on its ledger. The Huskies, who fell, 85-62, to the Broncos at Taco Bell Arena last Dec. 7, are led by the play of Amber Melgoza (20.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Missy Peterson (11.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg).

Montana (4-3) has won three of its last four, including its home tournament, the Lady Griz Classic, Dec. 1-2 with victories over Northern Illinois and UC Davis. The Griz are led by the play of McKenzie Johnston (11.6 ppg) and Emma Stockholm (10.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg).

CONSISTENT COLEMAN: Redshirt junior forward A'Shanti Coleman had one of her best games last Friday against Eastern Washington in what has so far been a solid season. Against the Eagles, Coleman went 7-for-9 from the field for a team-high 16 points, and on defense disrupted passing lanes inside, making a career-high five steals.

On the year, Coleman, who has started all eight contests, is averaging 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds, and leads the Broncos with a 53.4 field-goal percentage.

RETURN TO SEATTLE: Boise State is hoping to have a better trip to Seattle this weekend than two years ago. On Dec. 11, 2016, the Broncos fell, 92-66, to a Husky team led by All-American Kelsey Plum, who finished the game with 44 points, and All-Pac-12 selection Chantel Osahor.

MINUTES MANAGEMENT: Boise State's depth this season has not only spread the scoring around (seven players are averaging at least six points per game), but has also kept legs fresh, a key factor in a five-month season.

Through eight games, no Broncos is averaging 30 minutes per game, with junior guard Riley Lupfer (27.4 mpg) and redshirt junior point guard Jayde Christopher (25.8 mpg) leading the team.

With three non-conference games remaining (two games at the Husky Classic this weekend, Dec. 19 against Southern Utah), the Broncos are on pace to not have a single player averaging 30.0 minutes per game during the non-conference slate for the first time since 2014-15.

Homecoming Weekend As Broncos Head To Seattle For Husky Classic

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Players Mentioned

Jayde Christopher

A'Shanti Coleman

Joyce Harrell

Braydey Hodgins

Jade Loville

Riley Lupfer

Marijke Vanderschaaf

Ellie Woerner