RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada women’s basketball team will open its 2013-14 season on the road Friday afternoon at Utah Valley. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah. Wolf Pack head coach Jane Albright enters her sixth year with the program and is 5-0 in regular season openers at Nevada. The game marks the first time the program will open the season away from Lawlor Events Center under Albright.
“We wanted to start the year on the road because I think it makes it a little tougher for the team,” head coach Jane Albright said. “I’ve heard it’s one of the toughest places to play in the country. They have two great shooting guards, so it will be a good challenge for us and one I think we will be able to build on and get ready to come back home next week for a pair of games.”
The Wolverines finished the 2012-13 season 15-15, while claiming the Great West Conference regular season title. The school will begin the 2013-14 season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, where the team was picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches’ poll. WAC preseason all-conference guard Tina Doughty returns as the team’s leading scorer. Doughty averaged 10.4 ppg last season. The overall series between the two programs is tied 1-1. Utah Valley defeated Nevada 65-56 in the last meeting during the 2007-08 season.
Nevada returns 10 letter winners, including four starters from the 2012-13 squad that finished the season 8-23 overall and 2-14 in the Mountain West. Four newcomers will suit up for the silver and blue this year.
Senior shooting guard Danika Sharp returns as the team’s leading scorer, ending the 2012-13 season with 13.6 points per game. The West Wendover, Nev. native started all 31 games for the team last season. Sharp earned All-Mountain West Honorable Mention honors last season.
