March 1, 2003
Box Score
Pocatello, ID---Heidi Gifford continued her strong play, posting her first double-double, but it wasn't enough as Idaho State lost a second half lead for the second straight game and fell to Eastern Washington, 65-61, in Big Sky Conference women's basketball action Saturday night at Reed Gymnasium.
Gifford, a junior from Las Cruces, NM, led ISU in scoring for the second straight game with 14 points and added a career high 11 rebounds in 31 minutes of play.
After the Eagles took a five-point lead early in the second half, Ashley Toner scored twice to key an 11-0 ISU run for the Bengals to take a 40-34 lead with 14:59 left in the game. However the Eagles responded with a 12-2 run to retake the lead at 46-42. The teams traded the lead three more times before a three-pointer by Brandi Bounds put the Eagles up for good at 52-50 with 8:24 left. ISU wouldn't give up though. A three-point play by Toner with 3:46 left tied things at 55, but that was as close as ISU would get.
The Bengals struggled to hold onto the ball, giving up 27 turnovers in the game, while forcing just 21. ISU also shot just 39.0 percent (23-59), while EWU shot 44.3 percent (27-61). ISU outrebounded the Eagles 43-32.
Joining Gifford in double figures was Ashley Thurman, who scored a career high 13 points off the bench, including three three-pointers. Toner had 12 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Three Eagles scored in double figures, led by Kathleen Nygaard, who had 15 points in just 18 minutes of play. Brandie Bounds had 13 points and Felice Moore added 11 for EWU.
Idaho State dropped to 6-19 overall and 2-11 in Big Sky play on the season. Eastern Washington improved to 16-9 and 7-5. The Bengals will wrap up the 2002-03 season when they host Weber State University at Reed Gymnasium on Saturday, March 8 at 7:35 p.m.
