OGDEN — They were young, inexperienced and a little undersized.
Yet, Weber State's women's basketball team ended the season just a game away from the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats, who finished the season with a 15-15 overall record and a 7-7 mark in the Big Sky, were not necessarily a mediocre team. Rather, WSU struggled with its youth for extended stretches of the season, while showing all sorts of potential.
After a tough stretch of non-league games, the Wildcats hit their stride with seven wins in nine games to open the Big Sky season. But by the time the conference hit its second round of games, the scouting reports had been studied and the 'Cats dropped five of six before entering the conference tournament.
With only one senior on the roster, Weber State still managed to advance to the championship game of the conference tournament. The Wildcats beat Eastern Washington and then eked by regular-season champ Idaho State before falling to Northern Arizona.
That near-miss left the 'Cats with a desire for more.
"We're angry and we're hungry and that will fuel us into the offseason and next year," WSU junior guard Laura Porter said. "This was great experience for our young players and we'll be ready to go for it again next year."
Porter was one of two Wildcats named to the Big Sky's all-conference team. Sophomore Sara Tuomi was the other.
Tuomi, from Billings, Mont., averaged 12.2 points per game and Porter added 11.3. Junior Chelsea Warburton, a Price native and CEU transfer, tossed in 11.5 points per outing and was one of the Big Sky's top outside shooters with 91 3-pointers and a 41.4 percent 3-point shooting average.
Those three patrolled the perimeter well for WSU. But the Wildcats lacked a true center. Tashina Taylor and Shantee Releford both had their good moments but neither was able to dominate against some of the bigger post players in the Big Sky.
Taylor will be a 6-foot-2 junior next year. Releford, who played at Layton Christian Academy, will be a 6-foot senior. Both are athletic but lack the strength to bang around inside.
There is, however, help in the wings. WSU coach Carla Taylor had a pair of big freshmen picking up a few minutes here and there as they made the transition from small-school basketball in Wyoming and Idaho to Division I action.
Janie Rayback is an imposing 6-4 center from Starr Valley, Wyo., and started three games, while averaging three points and two rebounds per outing in just 10 minutes of playing time. Ashlynn Hayden (6-2) saw only six minutes of floor time per game, but has the potential to crack the starting lineup in the future.
But probably not next year.
All five starters will be back next season. Freshmen Jenna Griffitts and Darcee Purdue were part-time starters and will likely battle for playing time again.
2006-07 possible starting lineup
G: Sara Tuomi
G: Laura Porter
F: Chelsea Warburton
F: Shantee Releford
C: Tashina Taylor
E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com