The Huskies will host the University of Manitoba Bisons in their Canada West home-opener weekend with games Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.) at the Physical Activity Complex on the U of S campus.
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Lisa Thomaidis is just one win away from having the most wins in Canada West women’s basketball history.
But that will have to wait.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies head coach, a six-time Canada West coach of the year, is away in Germany with that country’s national women’s program; she’s handed the reins to lead assistant coach Laura Dally for this week.
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The Huskies will host the University of Manitoba Bisons in their Canada West home-opener weekend with games Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.) at the Physical Activity Complex on the U of S campus.
“It’s a quick week but I enjoy it — I really enjoy working with this group, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” said Dally, a former Canada West player of the year in 2016.
“We love playing at home. They’ve spent so much time and energy (preparing) and they’re really excited.”
The Huskies — once again favoured to win the Canada West conference and contend for a U Sports national title and Bronze Baby — had 15 first-place votes in the Canada West coaches’ pre-season poll.
However, for the first time in a while, the Huskies tipped off the regular season with a pair of losses.
Saskatchewan is coming off 64-54 and 65-63 losses to the host University of Calgary Dinos.
“They’re talented, right?” assessed Dally. “They’re long. Your first games, season-opener, it was fast-paced. Lots to learn and they (Huskies) have taken it in stride this week. The girls in the gym have been really working hard.”
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Dally remembers another time when the Huskies started the season at 0-and-2.
“I was on the team,” she pointed out this week, adding that the Huskies went on to reach the Canada West final that season.
“It’s all part of the deal. The CanWest is so competitive.”
Friday’s Huskie women’s basketball game will also see a new banner added to the PAC, as Huskie Athletics celebrates the team’s 2023-24 Canada West championship. Saskatchewan reached the U Sports national final in 2024, settling for silver.
STRONG GROUP OF RETURNEES
Saskatchewan has a veteran-laden group assembled for this season.
The team is led by fourth-year Huskies: guard Gage Grassick, forward Tea DeMong, guard Andrea Dodig, forward Courtney Primeau, forward Ella Murphy Wiebe and guard Anna Maelde.
Among the other returnees are guards Logan Reider, Maya Flindall, Alexis Lewans and 2023-24 red-shirt Jordyn Reding.
“One through 12,” noted Dally, “in order for us to get better. Gage Grassick, our point guard, leads the charge and the pace. And then our guard play is super strong with Maya, Tea, Logan and Andy (Dodig), and Courtney and Ella inside.
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“We’re quite an athletic group. I just named a lot of people.”
“No Carly,” acknowledged Dally. “She’s playing professionally in Germany, which is awesome. Definitely tough to lose an athlete, a scorer, like that but they’re filling her role by committee. Everyone’s kind of chipping in where they need to and just really getting after it in the defensive end.”
Imports Lucia Zilinska and Rose Fall have also moved on.
NEWCOMERS JOIN HUSKIES
Among the newcomers are Sweden’s Olivia Harm, a guard from Stockholm, and forward Elliot Lieffers, a transfer student from Lakeland College.
Other recruits include guards Gabrielle Kaban (Regina Campbell) and Sophie Larsen (Walter Murray).
Harm is expected to make an immediate impact.
“She’s a stretch Four (forward position), playing a little bit of the Five (post position) and she’s just been a sponge, soaking it all in,” said Dally. “And she got some really good reps and minutes against Calgary.
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“The recruiting world in women’s basketball is super small. She just wanted to come, academically, and the basketball fit was there, as well.”
DOG TALES: Thomaidis, who appeared on the Olympic Games hardwood this past summer in Paris, France, as head coach of Germany’s national women’s team, would surpass former UBC head coach Deb Huband with a 332nd conference victory. She’ll return to the Huskies next week.
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