Dec. 6, 2008
Final Stats
Complete Wyoming Box Score 
Pocatello, ID--Bengals played with heart and determination with a solid defensive effort in the first half and offensive effort in the second, but could not overcome Wyoming as the Cowgirls held on to lead set five minutes into the second half to defeat ISU 61-55 at Reed Gym Saturday afternoon. Wyoming improved to 5-3 while the Bengals fell to 3-6 for the season.
"I told the girls after the game, you guys just messed up," said head coach Seton Sobolewski. "The way you just messed up is you showed me how hard you can play, and I've seen what you can do now. So if you do anything less than that, I'm all over you."
Idaho State played had an outstanding defensive effort in the first half holding Wyoming to just 19 points, the Cowgirls lowest scoring effort into the break this season as Oregon and Gonzaga both allowed Wyoming to score 22 points into the break. The Bengals started off strong with a 6-2 lead, but Wyoming quickly responded with a pair of free throws and a jumper by to tie up the scoreboard at 6-6. Both teams would go without hitting a basket for nearly three and a half minutes until Wyoming's Megan McGuffey hit a jumper on the outside. Idaho State regained the lead at 15-11 from a layup by senior Jenna Brown. Junior Oana Iacovita would also hit a layup in the final minutes, but an 8-2 run that included Wyoming's only three pointer of the game would have the Cowgirls post a 19-17 lead into the backroom.
Iacovita led the Bengals into the break posting eight points, going 4-of-7 from the field, and pulling down nine rebounds. Idaho State's solid defensive effort kept Wyoming out of the paint, which was no easy effort as Wyoming displayed a superiorly heighted team compared to the Bengals and forced their opponent to go the outside. Wyoming was 26.9 percent from the field hitting 7-of-26. The Cowgirls were not prepared for the change as they were just 1-for-11 from the arc. Wyoming had a solid defensive effort as well keeping Idaho State to 17 points as the Bengals were 8-for-27 from the field, 29.6 percent, and 1-for-5 from the arc for 20 percent accuracy.
Both teams fired up their offense in the second half. Wyoming saw a strong improvement in the offense as they made necessary changes after the break and worked their way inside more frequently and took advantage of their size. Wyoming was 14-for-28 from the field in the second, 50 percent, and elevated their outside game as well going 3-for-8, 37.5 percent from the arc. Idaho State also improved offensively going 13-for-33 from the field, 39.4 percent, and 5-for-10 from the arc for 50 percent.
Chelsea Pickering led the Bengals in the second period going 6-for-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from arc. Pickering smashed her previous career-high game, set just three night before against Montana Western, with 19 points; her second half effort alone was enough to set her a career-high.
"I hope it's a break out game for [Chelsea] and she has a more consistent production like this in upcoming games," said head coach Sobolewski. "I think she's getting closer to seeing what her true potential is."
In the second half, the Bengals went on a 7-4 run to take the lead in the first five minutes, but would not see it again as Wyoming secured the scoreboard from that point. Idaho State ended the game just six points behind Wyoming, its closest effort since +3 margin overtime victory for the Bengals in the season opener in 1999.
Idaho State had two players score in double-digits with Pickering at 19 points and Iacovita who recorded her fourth double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Pickering was 8-for-19 from the field and 2-for-5 from the arc, she also pulled down three rebounds and had three steals. Iacovita was 7-for-17 from the field and hit both of her free throws. Senior Michelle Grohs contributed seven points.
The Bengals were denied for the second time in the season, free throws during the first half. But ISU posted 7-of-8 in the second for 87.5 percent accuracy. Senior Brown who hit 4-of-4 in the match up has posted hit every one of her last 21 free throws.
Idaho State will travel to Boise State to take on the Broncos at 7:05 p.m. on December 10 in the Taco Bell Arena.
