Dec. 28, 2002
Box Score
Pocatello, ID---Ashley Toner scored 18 points to lead four Bengals in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Idaho State fell to New Mexico State, 92-76, in women's basketball action Saturday night at the Pan American Center.
Toner, the reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week, led the Bengals with 18 points and five rebounds. She hit on 7-of-13 shots from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.
"She's just a warrior," ISU Head Coach Jon Newlee said of Toner. "She's one of the toughest kids I've ever coached. She really played her heart out tonight."
Halli Hickman came off the bench to make all six of her shots from the field, for a total of 12 points. It marked the second time this season that the freshman from Ririe, ID. She also made all six of her shots from the field against Idaho in the season opener. Laraine Skow had 11 points and Annie Anderson added 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
As a team the Bengals shots a season-best 45.7 percent from the field (32-70), including 53.1 percent in the second half (17-32). But the Aggies matched the Bengals, making 48.0 percent of their shots (36-75), including 42.9 percent (9-21) of their shots from beyond the three-point arc. The nine treys were one of the biggest differences in the game. ISU hit on just 4-of-23 from beyond the arc.
"We knew that they could shoot coming in," Newlee said. "I'm disappointed, we just didn't get out on them tonight. They are a difficult matchup team for us, especially when they're hitting like they did tonight. That was really the bottom line, we just couldn't defend them."
New Mexico State took an early 5-0 lead that expanded to 14 in the first half on their way to a 52-35 advantage at the break. But ISU started chipping away at the lead and cut the margin to just 10 points on a Tiffany Williams basket late, but NMSU came right back and scored on its next two possessions to seal the win.
ISU falls to 3-5 on the season with the loss, while the Aggies improve to 5-5. The Bengals will return to action in just two days when they return home to host Southern Utah at Reed Gymnasium at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night.
