Jan. 25, 2003
Box Score
Pocatello, ID---Lacey Tolbert scored 10 of her game-high 22 points over the last eight minutes to key a decisive Northern Arizona run as the Lumberjacks edged Idaho State University 59-56 in Big Sky Conference women's basketball action Saturday night at Reed Gymnasium.
Tolbert, who hit on 11-of-20 shots from the field, made five shots during a 14-6 run over the last 7:54 that turned a 50-45 ISU lead into a 59-56 NAU victory. ISU made just 4-of-8 free throws during that stretch as well.
Tolbert went on a personal 6-0 run to help NAU take the lead for good with 5:34 left. Alexis Rhodes made a jumper with 5:06 left to give NAU a 53-50 advantage. Another basket by Tolbert and a layup by Courtney Jackson with 2:21 left gave NAU what looked like an insurmountable lead at 57-50. But Annie Anderson made two free throws to cut the lead to five.
Tolbert scored the final NAU basket with 1:13 left to increase the lead to seven again. Laraine Skow cut the lead to six with a free throw with 41 seconds left. Ashley Toner hit a driving layup and was fouled with 36 second left. She completed the three-point play to cut the lead to just three with 36 seconds. The Bengals forced a turnover with six seconds left, but Cristal Fernandez's desperation shot was short at the buzzer.
"The shots weren't falling and we had some good looks inside, we knew that we could take it to them inside," ISU Head Coach Jon Newlee said after the game. "We didn't do a good job of finishing inside and that really hurt us. That combination wasn't too good for us offensively."
Halli Hickman and Annie Anderson led the way for the Bengals with 11 points each. Fernandez was the lone other Bengal in double figures with 10 points. Anderson posted her second double-double of the season with a game-high 10 rebounds. ISU shot just 28.1 percent from the field in the game (18-64), while NAU shot 43.1 (28-65).
Idaho State falls to 5-11 overall and 1-3 in Big Sky Conference play with the loss. NAU improves to 9-8 and 2-2. The Bengals will return to action on Thursday, January 30 when they travel to Cheney, WA, to take on Eastern Washington at 7:05 p.m.
