March 17, 2006
Box Score
Manhattan, KS --- As hard as Idaho State fought in the first half, a five minute stretch where the Kansas State Wildcats outscored ISU 17-0 paved the way for a 88-68 Wildcat win, knocking the Bengals out of the WNIT in Manhattan, Kansas, and ending ISU's Cinderella season that saw them go 17-13 and finish as the Big Sky's regular season champions.
The Bengals battled tooth and nail through the first 12 minutes, and a Natalie Doma layup capped a quick 6-0 run that put ISU behind by just one at 17-16. However, the Wildcats got five three-pointers, including four from Claire Coggins, their leading scorer, and by the time Joanna Hixon ended the run with under three minutes left, KSU had a solid lead.
ISU stayed in the game during the second half due to Jen Boesel, who scored all of her 14 points in the second half, and twice brought ISU to within 12, but Kansas State's deep team had an answer both times. The Bengals never got within 12 in the second half.
While the loss ends the season, it doesn't diminish what the squad accomplished this season, as ISU won just their second regular season title ever in going 11-3 in the Big Sky. ISU also basically swept most of the conference's postseason awards, with Andrea Lightfoot being named both Big Sky Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, Joanna Hixon being named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and Jon Newlee earning his second Coach of the Year honor in the last three seasons.
"I'm proud of the way we played....it's tough, we're just so thin, and we're not making excuses because we haven't all year," said head coach Jon Newlee. "When you play a team as deep and as talented as Kansas State, that's what can happen."
ISU accomplished all that after losing two starters in September, and then losing two more starters during the season to torn ACLs, forcing ISU into a six-person rotation. ISU was picked fifth in the preseason polls, but won their final seven regular season games to win the Big Sky Conference for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Lightfoot did become the all-time single-season scoring leader early in the second half. Lightfoot needed 13 coming into the contest, and ended up with 16, passing Sue Holloway's 551 established way back in the 1981-82 season. ISU also broke team season record for three-pointers made and attempted during the second half.
The Bengals were led by Andrea Lightfoot's 16 points. Joanna Hixon 15, Jen Boesel had 14, and Natalie Doma recorded her 11th double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. KSU got a career-high 31 points from Coggins, hitting 6-of-9 from three-point range. Joann Hamlin had 16 and Marlies Gipson had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
The game marked the final contest for Chelsey Chambers, Ali Gorny, and Dana Beechie for the Bengals. Chambers tore her ACL prior to conference play, Gorny starred at ISU in volleyball, and Beechie was the team's manager for four seasons, but was forced do dress out the last two years due to injuries.
