University of Washington
Vanguard (EXH)
UW Women Primed for Regular Season After 83-34 Exhibition Win
November 08, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2004
SEATTLE - Washington's women wrapped up the 2004-05 exhibition season in dominating fashion at Bank of America Arena Monday, riding suffocating defense and opportunistic offense to an 83-34 win over 2004 NAIA Tournament quarterfinalists Vanguard University.
The Huskies open the 2004-05 regular season Sunday vs. South Carolina in the first round of the WBCA BTI Classic at Bank of America Arena. Minnesota will play UNLV in the tournament opener at 1 p.m., with Washington-South Carolina to follow at 3 p.m.
Points off turnovers accounted for nearly half of the Huskies' 83 points in the game, as Washington turned 36 Vanguard miscues into 34 UW points. The Huskies added 25 steals - including seventeen after halftime - six blocks, and 29 defensive rebounds, holding Vanguard to just 16 percent shooting and 10 second-chance points.
"We showed a lot of improvement for an exhibition game," said ninth-year head coach June Daugherty. "Everyone played a lot harder than in the first outing. If we can get that balance going, I think we are going to be a dangerous team."
Sophomore guard Cheri Craddock hit the Huskies' first shot of the night - a three-pointer from the left angle just eight seconds after the opening tip - and remained the hot hand the rest of the game, connecting on five of 11 attempts for a game-high 14 points. Sophomore Breanne Watson (12 points) and freshman Dominique Banks (11) also reached double-digits for Washington, while Kelly Schmidt led all Vanguard scorers with 17 points.
Craddock's game-opening three was the first salvo in a Husky three-point barrage, as Washington drained seven of its first 14 long-range attempts to open a 40-16 halftime lead. The Huskies hit eight three-pointers total in the game, opposite just two for visiting Vanguard.
"We feel a bit more comfortable," Craddock said, referencing the fact that Washington is breaking in eight new players in 2004-05, including those who missed last season due to injury. "It'll take a little while, but we're learning to find each other on the court."
