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Bengals Back in the Race with 86-75 Win Over Northern Arizona

Feb. 10, 2005

Final Stats

Pocatello, ID -- Idaho State had five players score in double-figures, led by a 21-point effort from Slim Millien off the bench and strongly aided by Arzelle Lewis' career-high 20 points as the Bengals took down visiting Northern Arizona, and in the process tightened the race for the final Big Sky Conference tournament berth.

The win, coupled with Weber State's win over Sacramento State puts ISU a half-game out of sixth and just one game behind fifth place Sacramento State, who is ISU's opponent on senior night on Saturday night.

The Bengals found themselves down 10 at the five minute mark of the first half 37-27 as Northern Arizona hit 10 three-pointers in the first half. However, the Bengals battled back, getting their final 10 points in the post, the final four by Slim Millien to give ISU a 42-40 halftime advantage. It might have been more as Logan Kinghorn intercepted a pass, took a dribble, and heaved it in off the backboard, but the basket was waved off.

ISU came out hot in the second half, and Jeff Gardner hit his second three of the night to push the lead to 11, and after two Millien free throws, ISU led by 16 with 7:33 left, but NAU battled back, outscoring ISU 14-3 over the next four minutes to cut it to 75-70 with 3:26.

ISU answered back with two free throws, and then Jesse Smith took a pass from Lewis with 1:11 left and one second on the clock and buried a 15-footer for a 79-70 advantage. Logan Kinghorn's breakaway dunk with 31 seconds left put the exclamation mark on the win.

ISU had five in double-figures for just the third time this season. Along with the 21 from Millien and 20 from Lewis, Jeff Gardner added 14, Jesse Smith had 13, and Logan Kinghorn had 11. Gardner had a double-double with 10 assists to just two turnovers.

Kelly Golob broke out of a shooting slump for Northern Arizona, going for 24 points with six three-pointers. Steven Sir hit for 16, Ruben Boykin added 15 and Kyle Feuerbach added 12. NAU outrebounded ISU 37-34, but they committed 21 turnovers compared to ISU's 10 turnovers.

Notes: Jeff Gardner's three-pointer with 12:56 to go in the first half broke Erin Cowan's ISU career record for threes with his 129th ... Jesse Smith just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds ... ISU shot .519 in the second half ... ISU scored 31 points off turnovers compared to Northern Arizona, which scored just eight ... Saturday is senior night for ISU's five seniors: Jesse Smith, Doug D'Amore, Jeff Gardner, Nate Rede, and Arzelle Lewis.

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