The UW women's basketball team opens up exhibition play at Hec Edmundson Pavilion tomorrow afternoon against Love and Basketball, a traveling team comprised of former college players.

This will be the first opportunity for fans to catch a glimpse of Husky basketball this season. Washington will play one additional exhibition game before the start of non-conference action, against Seattle Pacific Nov. 6.

Coach Tia Jackson says fans should look forward to watching a team that's aggressive, on the ball and quick on its feet.

"I think we're going to be a fast-paced team," Jackson said. "We really want to run, and we really have a lot of firepower. I say this all the time, but I think with any of these young ladies, any given night, anyone can go for 10-15 [points]."

Jackson has also been training the team with an emphasis on defense, running full-court drills and other cardiovascular exercises.

"I was teaching the extreme of the defense — getting in passing lanes, being very aggressive," Jackson said. "We're going to play smart. But I wanted to over-teach the defense so they would know, 'This is the level.'"

Fans can also expect to see a combination of tough low-post players in the frontcourt, with 6-foot-2-inch senior forward/center Andrea Plouffe, 6-foot-5-inch freshman Jess McCormack and 6-foot-5-inch freshman Kali Bennett.

"We definitely, with our 6'5"s and our 6'2"s, have a very good inside presence," Jackson said.

After the two exhibition matches, the ladies travel to Kansas State to open non-conference play before starting Pac-10 games in late December.

"We're going to stimulate them (fans) as much as we expect them to come and generate a lot of energy for us," Jackson said. "But I think the expectation is to come and watch some fun, energizing basketball."

[Reach reporter Allen Wagner at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]