Dec. 23, 2007
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State University hosted a top 10 team for the first time in 25 years, but the #6 Washington State Cougars shot nearly 50% from the field and scored 23 points off of 17 ISU turnovers as the Cougars ran their record to a perfect 11-0 with a 75-45 win over Idaho State.
The matchup was ISU's second consecutive game against a top 10 team, as the Bengals faced UCLA on the 15th.
The Bengals opened the game with a layup by Matt Stucki just 13 seconds into the game, but that would be the only lead of the day for the Bengals (2-8), as Derrick Low responded with a three-pointer 26 second later. Low was on fire in the first half, scoring 16 points and hitting, including five three-pointers, on his way to a game-high 20 points. Low's propensity to get open in the first half did not sit well with ISU head coach Joe O'Brien.
"We seemed to be a step late in getting to him, or in recognizing where he was on the floor," said O'Brien, who switched things up and put sophomore Donnie Carson on Low after the fifth three-pointer at the 5:54 mark of the half, and Carson ended up holding Low to just one field goal the rest of the game. Carson also added a career-high seven points and two steals, and he was one of O'Brien's bright spots in the loss.
"Donnie came in and gave us a lift and did a good job. He has all the talent in the world, but sometimes he just doesn't bring it. Today he did," said O'Brien.
Idaho State was down 23-7 at one point, but fought back late in the half and cut the 28-18 with 3:42 left, but ISU scored just once on their final six possessions of the half and entered the locker room down 34-20.
The Cougars then opened the second half on a 10-0 run to effectively salt the game away. Idaho State was led by Matt Stucki, who was the teams' leading scorer for the fourth straight game, and he had 10 points. Lucas Steijn and Amorrow Morgan each had four rebounds. For the Cougars, along with Low's 20, Kyle Weaver had 18, including a 7-for-7 night from the line, and Caleb Forrest added 11 off the bench. Aron Baynes had a team-best eight boards.
The Bengals now head down I-15 to start a three-year agreement with the University of Utah. The game is on December 27th at 7:05 pm in the Huntsman Center. Utah will visit Holt Arena next season.
NOTES: Idaho State will travel to Washington State to complete the three-game contract next season ... ISU has now lost three straight by 30 or more points, the first time that has happened in school history. The only time ISU had previously lost three straight by margins of 25 or more was December 15-17, when ISU lost 111-85 at Houston, and then 124-91 and 122-88 at Hardin Simmons. The -102 point differential in the past three games is also the most as well ... Carson's seven points were a career-high ... Idaho State opens conference play on January 3 against Northern Colorado.
