Dec. 30, 2006
Final Stats
Boise, ID - Idaho State played a near perfect second half of basketball, but the final 3:04 was ISU's undoing. Up 43-40, climbing out of a 31-18 halftime hole, the Bronco scored 11 straight points to take down Idaho State 54-45, BSU's first win over the Bengals since 2003.
The Bengals limited the Broncos to just nine points through the first 16:56 of the half, and the Bengals took a 41-40 lead when David Schroeder drained a three-pointer, and Logan Kinghorn pushed it to 43-40 on a floater in the lane. ISU had a chance to make it larger, but Kinghorn traveled, and after a media timeout, the Broncos came back on their run.
First Matt Nelson scored on a three-point play to tie it at 43, and then next time down, Coby Karl hit a three from the corner. Matt Bauscher then stole a pass and scored on a breakaway layup for a 48-43 lead.
The Bengals forced Boise State to shoot just 3-for-17 over the first 16:56 of the second half, but after limiting BSU to just nine points, the Broncos scored 14 in the final 3:04. The Broncos hit just five of their first 14 free throws, but hit 7-of-9 down the stretch to keep ISU at bay. The Bengals did not hit a field goal over the final four minutes, and they committed four crippling turnovers.
The Bengals, who did not have Donnie Carson available due to the flu, and didn't start Demetrius Monroe and John Ofoegbu for the same reason, struggled from the field, going just 13-for-51, a .255 clip. ISU had 12 turnovers, which led to 18 Bronco points, and ISU only got eight off 11 BSU turnovers.
The Bengals end the non-conference at 5-8 overall, and they will open conference play next Thursday night at 8:07 pm when they take on Weber State in a game broadcast on KJAZZ-TV out of Salt Lake.
NOTES: Nick Rhodes grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in only his second career start ... Akbar Abdul-Ahad led ISU with 14 and David Schroeder had 11 ... ISU's 13 field goals was a season low ... Idaho State shot 19 second half free throws after shooting none in the first half.
