Nov. 24, 2009
Final Stats
Montana Western Box Score 
Pocatello, ID--Idaho State captured its first victory of the season and home win with a 63-50 decision over Montana Western at Reed Gym Tuesday night. The victory ended a four-game losing streak to start the season as ISU played top opponents including #18 California. Idaho State, who improved to 1-4, led the Bulldogs by double-figures for a majority of the game. The loss dropped Montana Western to 4-6 for the season.
"I felt like we played well tonight, our effort was there. We turned up the pressure defense a little more than usual tonight. We're pleased and it's something we've got to build on now," said Head Coach Seton Sobolewski. "It was nice to see Morgan hit some outside shots for us and be a perimeter threat and Oana did an exceptional job at the low post. We were able to get it to her early and she went to work."
The Bengals jumped out to an early 24-12 lead with 9:23 remaining in the first half after an 18-6 run where senior Oana Iacovita recorded nine points including a trey by the 6'1" forward. Montana's six points came from a jumper by Chloe Mosey and four free-throw shots.
Senior Oana led the Bengals with a game-high 20 points and a season-high for Idaho State. She recorded 11 points in the first half during the first 6:30 of the half. She was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine rebounds for the contest posting four on offense. The forward hit 9-of-12 from the field for 75 percent accuracy as well as hitting 1-of-2 from the arc and free throw line.
Freshman guard Morgan Wohltman had a strong night as she posted a career-high 15 points, her first double-figure point performance as a Bengal. She hit 5-of-12 from the field, but 11 of her shots came from the arc as she put 4-of-11 away. She also notched five rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot.
The Bengals shot 57.7 percent from the field in the first half and 46.3 percent overall. Though the Bulldogs were accurate in the first half as well hitting 50 percent, the Bengals held Montana Western to 25 percent shooing tin the second half dropping its average to 34.8 percent for the night.
Idaho State went into the break with its first lead of the season at 37-29 an eight point difference. The Bengals would continue to hold a steady lead and put points on the board even though they moments of frustration as they struggled with the zone defense that caused a few turnovers for the Bengals. Idaho State posted 19 turnovers in the game, ISU's fewest this season. Even with a few errors the Bengals would hold strong posting its largest lead of 17 points twice with 3:17 and 1:40 remaining on the clock.
"We still have to improve on our turnovers," stated Sobolewski. "We saw the 2-3 zone and the 1-2-2 zone, something we hadn't seen a lot, and it was more us trying to force passes. It wasn't so much they were pressuring us so we turned the ball over; it was us and our decision making, and that is something we can control."
Montana Western's Kristen Luedtke led the Bulldogs with 11 points hitting 3-of-9 from the field and putting away her only three-pointer. She was perfect from the charity stripe hitting all four. Three Bulldogs were perfect from the line led by guard Heather Brooks who swished all five of her attempts. Montana Western gathered 17 easy points at the line hitting 17-of21 for the game 11-of-14 in the first half.
"It feels good to win and we'll have confidence going into our next games," said freshman guard Wohltman. "It changes everyone's mindset."
Idaho State will have five days off from competition to rest before playing its toughest week as far as number of games when ISU will compete in four games in six days. The Bengals will kick-off the busy week at Wyoming on Monday, November 30 at 7:05 p.m. in the Arena Auditorium.
Notes: ISU outscored a team for the first time in the paint this season 22-20 ... The Bengals also scored 17 points off of turnovers while Montana Western capitalized on turnovers for 12 points.
