1/8/2015 The Argonaut – Rounded effort – Petrino gets experience, defense, on signing day

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Submitted by Theo Lawson on 02.06.2014 – 10:44 pm

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Rounded effort – Petrino gets experience, defense, on signing dayWhen the last letter came in — hours after Idaho’s fax machine went cold — Paul Petrino

and his coaching staff knew exactly who they were getting.

Theo Lawson | Argonaut

Alfonso Hampton, one of the nation’s top junior college defensive tackles, capped off Petrino’s second National Signing Day in style. A 4-starprospect according to ESPN’s Recruiting Nation, Hampton, at 6 feet 4 inches and 310 pounds, was one of 17 junior college players to commit toIdaho — a clear signal that the second-year coach wants Sun Belt championships, and he really doesn’t want to wait.

Though some would argue that the JC approach doesn’t represent vision for the long-term goals of the program, a team that has two wins to itsname in two years should redirect its vision to the immediate future.

“I’m getting the very best guys I could get that could come in here and compete to start and either be the starter or make the guys that are herebetter by the competition of starting,” Petrino told the media during his press conference Wednesday.

And a program that prides itself on “getting better” every day appears to have done that with a JC-heavy class with lots of starting potential.

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1/8/2015 The Argonaut – Rounded effort – Petrino gets experience, defense, on signing day

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The JC route certainly has its cons — Petrino, by making so many short-term investments, will be expected to win right away. If these playerscome in and do just that, it will give the program some leeway. Then, as 4-8 turns into 5-7 and 6-6, the coaching staff will be able to targetyounger talent.

That is assuming everything goes according to plan, while understanding that not much has for this program since that ever-so-distant bowl victoryin 2009.

Yet at this point, two days after college football’s Christmas, it’s OK to speculate.

Petrino and his staff loaded up on defense, bolstering the defensive line, while filling in some holes in the secondary. Hampton will more than filla void left by graduating seniors QuayShawne Buckley and Vince Keener. Hampton, the San Diego, Calif., native is likely Petrino’s best get yet.ESPN ranked Hampton as its ninth-best junior college prospect and he is the lone top-50 player to commit to a non-BCS conference. Playersranked below him committed to Alabama, Florida State and USC among others.

The area most desperate for a facelift — the Vandal secondary — received some much-needed aid with a trio of signees. Dorian Clark, acornerback from Florida, leads the pack and is listed at 6-feet. It’s clear Petrino felt the need to add height to a group that allowed 315 yards pergame, second-worst in the Football Subdivision, and 40 passing touchdowns, worst in the FBS.

“If it starts with a six and they play corner, that’s exciting to me,” Petrino said referring to Hampton’s height.

Clark is joined by safety Chris Edwards and defensive back Dennis Rufus, both junior college prospects.

With Clark and running back Aaron Duckworth, it appears that the Florida/southern pipeline continues to build momentum for Idaho and it shouldonly get better as the team plays more Sun Belt games there.

Petrino, it appears, got most of the presents on his list this year, and while the Vandals were by no means stellar with this class, the acquisition ofHampton deserves a thorough round of applause.

Idaho, it appears, got better Wednesday.

Theo Lawson can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu

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1/19/2015 The Argonaut – Memorial ‘Gem’ — Senior Day OK in Memorial Gym

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Submitted by Theo Lawson on 02.20.2014 – 9:29 pm

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Memorial ‘Gem’ — Senior Day OK in Memorial GymThe Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is in town and not a soul is happier for the occasion than

Idaho men’s basketball coach Don Verlin.

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1/19/2015 The Argonaut – Memorial ‘Gem’ — Senior Day OK in Memorial Gym

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Theo Lawson | Argonaut

It’s not that Verlin necessarily has a taste for the soothing sounds of Benny Golson’s tenor saxophone, but more that his Vandals get anotheropportunity to play basketball in their favorite venue.

Due to the plethora of concerts taking place on the Cowan Spectrum floor Idaho is accustomed to playing its Western Athletic Conference contestson, the Vandals will take their 2-4 conference home record to the confines of quaint Memorial Gym.

Idaho is 3-0 there, all nonconference games, following Tuesday’s victory over Cal State-Northridge.

The Vandals opened their season in Mem Gym, notching victories over Western Illinois and Northwest Nazarene.

While neither the men’s nor women’s team have quite learned how to maximize the home-court advantage that the Cowan Spectrum provides —if any at all — both have thrived inside Memorial Gym, where the Idaho women are also 3-0.

Granted, two of those wins came against non-Division I opposition.

Mem Gym has its charm and is often equated to the court from “Hoosiers,” an old-fashioned structure that brings its fans feet away from thehardwood.

The Cowan Spectrum doesn’t possess the same features. The football stadium-converted-basketball arena has its moments and with a good crowd,

1/19/2015 The Argonaut – Memorial ‘Gem’ — Senior Day OK in Memorial Gym

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is surely one of the most memorable atmospheres in college basketball.

Unfortunately, those moments are currently few and far between. In a new-look WAC that has yet to create the rivalries that Utah State, BoiseState and Nevada provided, the Spectrum hasn’t attracted a capacity crowd in conference play yet.

Meanwhile, Memorial Gym has a capacity of 2,500 and looks like a packed house when more than 1,500 show up.

And based on Tuesday’s result, the Vandals don’t mind the change of venue.

“It is nice being back at home in Mem,” Hill said. “It’s home for everyone and there’s a comfort zone here.”

The Vandals were comfortable indeed as Idaho scored a season-high 96 points, better than their previous season high of 89 points during a loss toBoise State on the road.

Hill was a major contributor to Idaho’s offensive production Tuesday evening, shooting 8-of-11 from 3-point range and finishing with a team-high28 points.

According to the junior guard, the Mem Gym rims had a bit to do with that, as well.

“These new rims up here are not bad,” Hill joked after the win. “They’re not bad at all. I like them.”

Hill, who is likely to break every Idaho 3-point shooting record by the end of his senior year, was a combined 6-for-21 from beyond the arc inIdaho’s last three games in the Spectrum.

While Mem Gym isn’t capable of acting as a full-time Division I facility, it has a certain allure to it that the full-time facility doesn’t quiet possess.

And the Vandal men and women, who have both had their struggles playing in the Spectrum this season, will host one more game apiece at the 86-year-old gymnasium — where a true home-court advantage is unveiled only a few times every year.

Theo Lawson can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu

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1/19/2015 The Argonaut – Not perfect — Depleted bench may be problematic for Jon Newlee’s team

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Submitted by Theo Lawson on 01.16.2014 – 10:49 pm

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Not perfect — Depleted bench may be problematic for Jon Newlee’s teamAfter four conference games, the women’s basketball team has posted a margin of victory

that may tell one tale. The defending WAC champions lay claim to a 4-0 mark and have won those games by an average of 26.5 points per game.The tightest victory, an 11-point home win against Texas-Pan American.

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1/19/2015 The Argonaut – Not perfect — Depleted bench may be problematic for Jon Newlee’s team

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These Vandals are every bit as good as the ones that triumphed in the 2013 WAC Tournament — probably better.

They’ll hardly be challenged by the Chicago States and New Mexico States of the conference, and will still be glaring favorites when Seattle Uand Grand Canyon come to town.

Yet with a season-ending injury to freshman point guard Karlee Wilson, depth on the Vandal bench may be a point of concern for Idaho and quitepossibly the only major concern the team has going forward.

The team boasts a starting five that rivals any in the WAC. And barring injury to any of those five, the Vandals should be poised to chalk up 10-12more conference wins before tournament play starts.

However, the early blow to Wilson is indicative of the fact that no team is invincible to injury.

Idaho shouldn’t worry as much about its frontcourt depth. Six-footers Brooke Reilly and Maren Austgulen average a pedestrian seven points andseven rebounds per game — statistics that aren’t very concerning considering the productivity of starter Ali Forde.

But it’s Idaho’s backcourt that may need to be a bit more cautious. Connie Ballestero bolsters the point guard spot and fellow guards Stacey Barrand Christina Salvatore average 26 points together.

Wilson relieved Ballestero at the point and Addie Schivo, a senior guard, comes in for almost 22 minutes a game. Without Wilson, the only otheroption at the guard spot appears to be Agueda Trujillo Fernandez, a freshman from Spain who has just 20 points on the season.

A year ago, the team relied heavily on the duties of Krissy Karr, a sophomore who played 24 minutes per game and most recognized for a game-winning jumper in the first round of the 2013 conference tournament.

Karr, quintessential to the team’s championship run, is no longer with the program.

Leading the WAC in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, Ballestero is of high value to Newlee, not to mention the two Vandals averaging north of15 points per game.

The injury factor is one concern and the fatigue factor is another. The team’s remaining conference schedule will see the Vandals play five moregames on the road and 11 total before the regular season concludes on March 6.

For a team that doesn’t appear to have many wrinkles on the surface, the depth is a hidden flaw and one that could emerge down the road.

Theo Lawson can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu

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