DENVER – Since MSU Denver played Central Washington last season in women's college basketball, Central Washington has gone 22-6, won a conference tournament championship, won an NCAA Tournament game, and started this season 2-0.
 
And that's all been after MSU Denver went onto the Wildcats' home floor and won convincingly, 76-54.
 
"I'm sure they'll remember that game, unfortunately," said MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave, who then began clicking off what this year's version of the Wildcats look like. "They're 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-1 in the post. They're averaging 85 points a game, shooting 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3. Outrebounding opponents by 12. So we have our work cut out for us."
 
MSU Denver plays Central Washington on a neutral floor, at Westminster in Salt Lake City, at 3 p.m. Friday, before turning around the face Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) – the team Central Washington beat in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year – on the same neutral floor Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
Central Washington, whose 6-3 center Samantha Bowman averaged 16.2 points, 15.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 blocked shots last year (and is at 18.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals in two games this season), is picked to finish fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
Northwest Nazarene (1-1) is picked sixth in the GNAC despite reaching the NCAA Tournament last season.
 
Now you may remember MSU Denver had a fair bit of success last season, too, winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament and before losing, in overtime, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Roadrunners opened the 2022-23 season last weekend with two more games against high-quality teams, losing close contests to Angelo State (Texas) and Texas Woman's, both of which are picked to finish in the top four of the Lone Star Conference.
 
MSU Denver is rebuilding its inside game, but has a talented and experienced group of guards – and an incredibly difficult non-conference schedule.
 
"It's going to be a process," Haave said. "I like our potential. We have a lot of youth, and a couple of experienced players who are new – and we're trying to get everyone used to playing with each other."
 
Guard Kendra Parra averaged 18.0 points and 4.0 rebounds last weekend, while forward Leilah Vigil averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
 
Off the bench, three true freshmen posted excellent numbers – Brookylnn Jones hit 4 of 9 from 3-point range while averaging 6.9 points per game, forward Brianna Sealy grabbed 11 rebounds in her collegiate debut, and forward Lara Asgeirsdottir from Iceland averaged 5.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while making three 3s.
 
The impact of the forwards, in particular, could really help shore up an area hit by graduation.
 
"There's a lot of potential there with those too," Haave said. "Bri has a knack for the ball, and she's really quick to get to the ball, quick to get to the basket. She gets through small spaces and is athletic – she can really get up and down the floor.
 
"Lara is a very, very skilled. She's a good shooter with a good basketball IQ. She's played on the international level, and now she's just getting used to American college basketball."
 
Their development, as well as that of the rest of the team's, continues this weekend.
 
"We clearly can score," Haave said. "We have some explosiveness. We have good depth at guard. But untimely turnovers and untimely fouls hurt us."