Dec. 22, 2009
Final Stats
Complete Stat Book: Oregon 77, Idaho State 71 
Eugene, OR --- Idaho State gave it another grand effort on the road against a Pac-10 team, but the result was much like the first one ... a close six-point loss. Idaho State shot .587 from the field and hit a season-high seven three-pointers, but Oregon drained 10 of their own and took advantage of a marked free throw advantage to post a 77-71 win over the Bengals as ISU heads into an awfully short Christmas break.
The Bengals found themselves down eight at 72-64 after Malcolm Armstead hit a contested three-pointer, Oregon's 10th of the game with just 2:50 left, but Amorrow Morgan and Chron Tatum both scored quickly surrounding a Duck miss, and it was back to four.
Down six with 1:39 to go, ISU had a chance to get it back to four, but Broderick Gilchrest, who hit his first four free throws, missed both, and then Amorrow Morgan could only make one of two, making the lead five instead of two. ISU got it back to four one more time with 23.1 left on two Morgan free throws, but ISU couldn't get it any closer, despite a couple of good looks from three in the final seconds.
The Bengals were down 36-33 at the half, a wonder since Oregon led 20-8 at one point and had 10 offensive rebounds out of their first 11 boards. ISU came back on the arm of Gilchrest, who drained three first half treys, and when Demetrius Monroe hit a tip-in with 6:55 left in the first half, the Bengals had their first lead at 25-24.
Idaho State led 33-31 with under a minute to go, but Armstead hit a three-pointer and then he went coast-to-coast for a layup at the buzzer giving the Ducks a 36-33 lead at the break.
The Bengals got another superb effort from Gilchrest, who scored 20, and Amorrow Morgan hit for 21, and Chron Tatum had a season-high 12. Oregon was dominating the boards early, but only outrebounded ISU by 29-27, with Morgan grabbing seven to lead ISU.
For Oregon, Armstead had 23 points, including a 5-of-6 night from the three-point line. Garrett Sim and Michael Dunnigan each had 14, and E.J. Singler added 11 with seven boards. Idaho State shot 27-of-46 from the field at .587, and they were 7-of-15 from the three. Oregon was just 24-of-53 from the field (.453) but they were 10-of-22 from the three. Oregon attempted 28 free throws to just 15 for ISU, as Oregon was whistled for just two fouls in the first 18:21 of the second half.
Idaho State now has a few days off before they get ready for a home game against Montana Tech on Monday night at 7:05 pm in Holt Arena.
NOTES: Gilchrest has eight threes over the last two games after just four in the first nine ... ISU has never defeated Oregon ... the game at home against Montana Tech will be just the first time this year that ISU will play in a venue for a second time this season.
