University of Dayton women’s basketball star Andrea Hoover and Ally Malott live together in a campus apartment and are compatible as roommates — partly because nobody would ever accuse either one of being a clean freak.

“We’re both not exactly the neatest people ever,” Malott said. “I think it’s a good thing because we don’t get on each other for that.”

As much as Hoover likes sharing a domicile with her fellow sophomore, she’s looking forward to sharing the basketball with Malott even more this year.

Hoover, a 5-foot-9 guard from Spring Valley Academy, was the Atlantic 10 rookie of the year last season and was a first-team preseason all-conference pick. Malott, a former Middletown Madison standout who is listed as a 6-4 forward, made the preseason A-10 second team.

“She’s a great player,” Hoover said. “She has the unique skill to shoot the ball, and she’s 6-4. She’ll be a huge threat in the A-10. I predict big things from Mallot this year.”

UD coach Jim Jabir, whose team opens the season in the Maggie Dixon Classic hosted by DePaul on Friday and Saturday, also expects big things from the former McDonald’s All-American — if he can get her to look to the basket more.

Although she’s one of the league’s most versatile players, she too often defers to others on the team.

“I think with Ally it’s more a decision on her part that she wants to be assertive and aggressive — because that’s the role we see her in,” Jabir said. “She can score inside and out. She’s our best 3-point shooter, and she has the size and the length to score on the block as well. If she can be really aggressive, she can cause lots of problems for our opponents.”

Malott, who averaged 6.1 points last season, is the Flyers’ third-leading returning scorer behind Hoover (10.0) and junior center Cassie Sant (8.0). And while she admits she struggled to adjust to the college game last season, she feels much more sure of herself this year mostly because of a position switch from the wing to the post.

“I’m liking the 4 better this year, especially for my size,” she said. “You don’t see many 6-3 wing players, which is why they tried me out there last year — for a height advantage.

“I’m a lot more comfortable in the post. I won’t have to do as much ball-handling, and just defensively, that’s where I struggled last year.”

Malott may still need some time to grow into being a consistent offensive threat, but she has already embraced her role of providing a veteran presence for the Flyers.

“With six freshmen, you’re kind of forced into that leadership role whether you want to or not because they really don’t know what to do yet. But I’ve gained a lot of confidence knowing my team is leaning on me to do that,” she said.