Jan. 24, 2009
Final Stats
Complete Sacramento State Box Score 
Pocatello, ID- Idaho State kept its perfect 12-year winning streak alive against Sacramento State, improving to 25-0, when the Bengals overcame Sacramento State 64-57 at Reed Gym Saturday afternoon. The Bengals posted a lead in the last six and half minutes in the first period and never looked back as they posted a 12-point lead into the break and held throughout the second to give ISU four players in double-figures.
"As a coach you feel like you have something to work with in terms of just trying to control the game," said head coach Seton Sobolewski about holding a solid lead throughout the contest. "It's easier for us personally to slow things down than speed things up."
Slowing the speed certainly helped the Bengals as they shot 50 percent from the field in the first period and 57.1 percent from the arc. ISU was 42.3 percent from the field for the game and 46.2 from the arc. Also by controlling the tempo of the game Idaho State was able to set up defensively reducing Sacramento State to 29.7 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from the arc over the game.
Idaho State started the contest on top, but a 14-5 run by the Hornets tied the score up at 20-20 on a layup by Erika Edwards at the 9:34 mark. The Bengals dug deep and was able to respond with a 17-5 run where junior Oana Iacovita posed seven points and senior Michelle Grohs recorded five in the run.
Grohs earned her fifth double-double of the season, her second consecutive, as she posted 13 points and ten rebounds. She was 7-of-19 from the field and 1-of-3 from three point territory. Iacovita led the Bengals with 19 points. Iacovita and senior Jenna Brown made a good team, dishing out six of Iacovita's points from layups and jumpers, including a no look behind the back pass with Brown assisting; the duo pushed the lead to 12 into the break scoring the last four points of the period. Brown posted seven assists for the night.
Senior Brown led the team from a leadership stance as she worked hard offensively and defensively as she had an answer for anything the Hornets could dish out. She posted 17 points hitting 4-of-10 form the field, 2-of-3 from the arc and 7-of-8 from the line. She also recorded two steals. Brown had a stellar game on the defensive end as she pulled down a career-high eight rebounds along with junior Devin Diehl who matched the rebound count for a career-high herself.
"To have seven rebounds on Thursday night and eight rebounds tonight and you're a 5' 3" guard, it's pretty impressive," said Sobolewski of Brown's rebounding effort. "It just shows you what will can do; you can will things to happen."
In the second half ISU posted its largest lead of 14 at the 19:32 mark off an unassisted Brown layup. The most uncomfortable ISU got from that point was when Sacramento State reduced the Bengal lead to six points three times, two of those times were off free throw shooting, the other a trey from Edwards.
Rebounds were a significant factor for the Bengals who have been outrebounded in 12 of their last 13 games; ISU tied Boise State in the run. Even by one, the Bengals out-rebounded the Hornets 41-40, the first time ISU has out rebounded its opponents since the team played Loyola Marymount in November. However, offensive rebounds continue to plague the Bengals as the Hornets posted 21 to ISU's 13, giving Sacramento State 14 points off of second chances.
Idaho State looks to continue with its winning streak as the Bengals host Weber State on Saturday, January 31 at 7:05 p.m. Be sure to dress in white as Idaho State plans to "White Out Weber" at Reed Gym.
Notes: Idaho State scored 22 points in the paint to Sacramento State's 21 ... Freshman Kari Green made her first home court appearance this season seeing six minutes of playing time in her third game of the season.
