Jan. 10, 2009
Final Stats
Complete Portland State Box Score 
Pocatello, ID-Even with a career-high 31 point game from sophomore Chelsea Pickering, the Bengals were overcome in the final four minutes as Portland State out-rebounded the Bengals 7-1 to give the Vikings the ability to take the lead to defeat ISU 70-61 at Reed Gym Saturday afternoon. With the loss Idaho State lost it first Big Sky Conference game of the season to post a 2-1 Big Sky record, the Bengals are 5-11 overall. Portland State, who was chosen in the pre-season polls to finish second in the conference, improved to a 4-0 Big Sky Record and are 11-6 overall.
In the first half the Bengals jumped out to a 6-0 start, their largest lead of the game, and the score would volley back and forth with the largest lead in the half going to Idaho State as Pickering went 2-for-2 at the line to take a 32-27 lead. Portland State would fight back dropping the Bengal lead to two points, 34-32, into the break. Pickering lit up the first half scoring 17 of her 31 points, going 5-for-9 from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the arc. She was also able to draw fouls hitting 5-of-6 from the line, which gave the Bengals significant opportunities as ISU was 12-of-13 from the charity stripe for 92.3 percent accuracy in the first half.
Over the course of the game the Pickering, the 5-9 guard, was 10-for-18 from the field and 4-for-8 from the three-point line. Pickering hit 7-of-9 from the free throw line. She also recorded four rebounds and three assists. Pickering's 31 point game overcame her previous career-high by 12 points as she recorded 19 against Wyoming earlier this season.
"I didn't know going into this game that we would have an advantage with Chelsea Pickering going into the low post. It kind of just played out," said Head Coach Seton Sobolewski. "She did a good job of being confident. With Chelsea's confidence she can do anything. She's much more composed when she's confident, and that to Chelsea is very big. Hopefully she can build on it."
It was a tight game as the teams changed leads six times. After the break, Portland State quickly tied up the score on the first play to tie the game at 34-34. Idaho State would regain the lead five minutes into the game with two-free throws from junior Devin Diehl. The Bengals went on a hold a lead for nearly nine minutes until Kelli Valentine would hit a jumper to tie it up 56-56 with 6:42 remaining. Junior Oana Iacovita answered the call with 4:55 remaining as she shot a turnaround, fall away jumper to take the lead for Idaho State. Unfortunately for the Bengals, 58-56 was their last lead as offensive and defensive rebounds eluded Idaho State who was out rebounded 7-1 in the final four minutes of play.
Portland State out rebounded the Bengals 38-28, pulling down 13 offensive rebounds to ISU's seven. The Vikings also had an accurate shooting night as they posted 43.9 percent, nothing below 42 percent each half. The Bengals posted 38 percent accuracy in field goals, but were recouped by their three-point shooting as Idaho State posted its best three-point field goal percentage of the year with 58.3 percent hitting 7-of-12 from the arc.
Senior Jenna Brown who scored a career-high game the night before chipped in the only other double-digit points for ISU with 10, while Iacovita recorded nine points. Idaho State has switched their leading scorer from game-to-game in their last four games.
"It's nice to have some options of different people that can step up," said Sobolewski. "Now we've got to have some consistency."
Brown, a 5-3 guard, recorded two assists and a steal along with her team-high six assists. Senior Michelle Grohs crashed the boards hard tying the game-high nine rebounds, all on defense. Sophomore Viking Valentine also recorded nine rebounds and was the leading scorer for PSU with 23 points. She hit 10-of-15 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 at the line. Viking Kelsey Kahle chipped in 16 points while Eryn Jones added 13 for Portland State.
The Bengals hit up the Montana swing next in their road schedule as they take play two night games starting at 7:05 p.m. ISU will stop at Montana first on Thursday, January 15 at Dahlberg Arena, then swing to Montana State for a Saturday game on January 17 at Worthington Arena.
Notes: Idaho State continues to expose the Big Sky Conference inside as they outscored Portland State 24-to-18 in the paint ... ISU scored its last field goal with 2:58 left ... The Bengals have gotten in an early 1-and-1 situation in their last two games ... Portland State scored 11 points on second chances while ISU recorded just five ... Idaho State has not defeated the Vikings since 2007 with a one-point lead (91-90), and have fallen by as much as 18 and 40 points since that time.
