March 20, 2008
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Boise State went on a 16-0 run starting with 7:45 to go, turning a close physical 49-44 game into a runaway, as the Boise State Broncos picked up their first ever postseason win, defeating ISU 77-54 at Taco Bell Arena and advancing to the WNIT second round against Texas Christian on Sunday at 4:00 pm Mountain Time. The Bengals finished their season 20-10, while Boise State improved to 24-7, and they ran their home court winning streak to 17 straight dating back to last season.
Both teams struggled mightily from the field, but the Broncos were able to counter that with 27 offensive rebounds, allowing them to survive a 31% shooting night by getting off 85 shots. The Bengals had cut a nine-point Bronco second half to just five after a perfect laser pass from Andrea Videback to Natalie Doma made it 49-44 with 7:58 to go, but after a media timeout, Tasha Harris sank two free throws to start a 16-0 run that spanned just 3:52.
Boise State picked up 66 rebounds, including the 27 on offense as the two teams had 110 combined rebounds. BSU had a pair of players record double-doubles and three in double figure rebounding. It was the rebounding that confounded ISU head coach Jon Newlee, who saw his team qualify for their fourth postseason appearance in the last five years.
"When you let someone have 27 offensive rebounds it's hard to win the game. We do a great job defensively and force a bad shot, but we don't get the block out and give up second and third chances, and that's a part of defense," said Jon Newlee. "Things got really physical, and we didn't respond. We did for a while, but not enough."
The Bengals were led by Andrea Lightfoot, who scored 16 in her final game, and Natalie Doma had another double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds, as she recorded her 77th consecutive double-figure scoring game, a school record.
For the Broncos, Jamia Malone had the game of her life with six three-pointers for 18 points, including a few long threes late to beat the shot clock. Tasha Harris had 17 points, Jackie Lee had 11, and Jenna Galassi had 10. BSU outscored ISU in the paint 34-6, and 21-2 on second chance points.
NOTES: Kaylynn Fager, ISU's other senior, scored two in her final game ... Doma ended the second with 371 rebounds, just one short of her own ISU and Big Sky record of 372 set last year.
