Lady Rebels picked seventh in Mountain West preseason basketball poll

Despite returning all five starters from last season’s squad and adding a talented transfer, the Lady Rebels are expected to struggle in the Mountain West this season.

At least that’s the opinion of the conference’s women’s basketball coaches and the media who cover the league.

UNLV was picked to finish seventh in the nine-team conference — the same spot where it finished last season, after going 13-18 overall and 6-10 in league play — in a poll released Wednesday at the Mountain West’s annual media day in Littleton, Colo.

"I don’t like being picked seventh, but I didn’t think we’d be picked higher," third-year Lady Rebels coach Kathy Olivier said. "It’s such a competitive conference, and it’s not like anyone lost a lot of players.

"It’s going to be tough. We still have to prove ourselves."

Texas Christian, the reigning Mountain West regular-season champion, was tabbed as the preseason favorite. The Horned Frogs, who earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last season, garnered 16 of 21 first-place votes.

San Diego State, which won the Mountain West tournament last season, collected three first-place votes and was ranked second. Brigham Young, which earned the other two first-place votes, was picked to place third.

Texas Christian senior guard/forward Helena Sverrisdottir, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year, was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

Last season, Sverrisdottir became the only Mountain West player to rank among the league’s top 15 in assists (5.19), steals (2.19), rebounds (6.7) and points per game (13.6) and earned Associated Press honorable mention All-America honors.

Sverrisdottir was joined on the preseason all-conference team by Horned Frogs senior guard Emily Carter, San Diego State senior center Paris Johnson, Wyoming senior forward Hillary Carlson and Utah sophomore center Taryn Wicijowski, last season’s conference Freshman of the Year.

Aztecs guard Melissa Sweat was named the Preseason Freshman of the Year and San Diego State sophomore guard Courtney Clements was chosen the Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

The Lady Rebels will be led by junior forward Jamie Smith, a former conference Freshman of the Year and two-time honorable mention All-Mountain West selection who has led the league in rebounding the last two seasons.

Smith averaged 8.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season.

Sophomore guard Kelli Thompson (12.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and senior guard Erica Helms (13.3 ppg) also return to UNLV, which started practice in early October and hosts Grand Canyon in an exhibition game Nov. 8 at Cox Pavilion.

UNLV opens its regular season Nov. 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center against Southern Utah in the first game of a doubleheader with the men’s team.

The Lady Rebels return 11 players from last season’s team and have four newcomers, including former top-five national high school recruit Lenita Sanford. The 6-foot-3-inch junior forward/center transferred from Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., and has already made an impact.

"Lenita has picked up the level of everybody’s game and made everybody more competitive, just because she’s an aggressive, talented player," Olivier said. "She could change a game with her defense."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.