By BRETT WRIGHT

The women’s basketball team will get two quick exhibition games this weekend to shake off the offseason cobwebs and sort out any flaws before the 2009-10 season gets under way next Friday.

BYU will play host to Westminster College tonight at 7 and Chadron State Saturday at 2 p.m. Although the games have no effect on the standings, head coach Jeff Judkins had a different perspective about the team’s approach to this weekend.

“We really want to set a good tone for the season and focus these games as if they were a real game,” Judkins said.

The one thing Judkins expressed the Cougars have an advantage in this season is depth. He believes every player is capable of getting the job done.

“I really am 15 deep and I’m going to use these exhibition games to figure out what combination of players works best,” Judkins said.

Eight players are returning from last year’s squad, including three starters that are juniors this year. Among those is Mindy Nielson, who was the team’s leading scorer last season. The Cougars will also see Haley Hall in action again after her third season-ending torn ACL injury last year that kept her out most of the season.

Incoming freshmen will provide talent and depth to the team and Alexis Kaufusi, who is listed at 6-foot-1, will add a presence in the paint. The lone senior on the team, Jaime Judkins, is excited to start her final season at BYU. Like her father, Jaime sees exhibition games as important.

“It’s two games to get your nerves out and it’s a little scary at first, but then you get into the swing of things again and it’s good,” Jaime said. “I’m really excited to get playing again.”

The Cougars will get their first test of the season next Friday when they host in-state rival UVU.

The team was picked in the preseason to finish 6th in the MWC. However, just a few years ago the Cougars were picked to finish 6th and wound up holding the MWC trophy in the end. The team is looking to prove the same thing can happen this year.