Idaho’s women are used to living out of suitcases

MOSCOW — The Idaho women’s basketball team logged so many miles to open the season a long-haul truck driver would squeal.

The Vandals traveled more than 15,000 miles in their first eight regular-season games before finally playing their home opener Dec. 15 against Denver.

The long road trips are something coach Jon Newlee looks at as a necessity.

Newlee always has attempted to give his teams a difficult road schedule to start the season, dating to his time when he was in charge at Idaho State.

During Idaho’s one-month road show, it went 1-4 in true road games and 1-2 in neutral-site contests. Despite the overall results, the Vandals were able to stash away two nice wins against Navy and New Mexico State, also pushing Mountain West foe Nevada to the limit before falling 84-80 in overtime Dec. 3 at the USD Winter Classic in San Diego.

In 10 games away from Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, the Vandals (6-7, 2-0) are 3-7 overall.

There is a method to Newlee’s madness. It’s mostly to prepare his team for the gauntlet that is the Big Sky Conference.

Conference play began Dec. 29 against defending conference champion and preseason favorite Montana State. The Vandals dominated for long stretches and earned a convincing 72-53 win.

Two days later, Idaho finished off the opening two-game homestand of the Big Sky season with a 79-71 win against Montana.

“I want them to get used to the travel,” Newlee said, “so once they come back home after long road trips they aren’t as shocked when they have to go back on the road again.”

What’s been working as the Vandals hit the road once again for games at 7 p.m. today at Sacramento State (10-2, 1-0) and 2 p.m. Saturday at Portland State (5-6, 0-1)? Newlee hasn’t changed much offensively, as the 3-pointer is a crucial part of the game plan.

The Vandals rank third in the country in 3s attempted and fifth in 3s made at 10 per outing.

While the long ball has been Idaho’s calling card, the player who has stood out above the rest is senior Beyonce Bea.

Bea, a 6-foot-1 post out of Washougal, Wash., earned her second consecutive first-team All-Big Sky unanimous selection in 2021-22, averaging 15 points per game. This year, the reigning Big Sky player of the week is averaging a conference-best 22.8 points per game, shooting at a 48.8% clip. She also averages 9.2 rebounds, second-best in the Big Sky, and already has had seven double-double performances.

Bea reached a career milestone with her 1,500th career point with her first basket against Montana State. She has 1,550 points, just two away from tying Geri McCorkell, who is in ninth place in school annuals.

“I honestly didn’t know how close I was coming into the game,” Bea said. “Coach told me that I was just two points away when the game started so that’s when I found out about it. When I made the basket, that was a big moment for me.”

Bea was one recruit Newlee wanted to see in the black and gold more than anyone. So seeing her succeed at such a high level has given him a sense of pride. Not for himself, but for Bea.

“She’s filled in exactly how I thought she would when I recruited her,” Newlee said. “I saw something really special in her when I recruited her, and I don’t think I recruited anyone that hard in a long, long time.”

Pixley may be contacted at (208) 848-2290, tpixley@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @TreebTalks.