Dec. 9, 2009
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Boise State turned several ISU turnovers into easy transition points in an 18-4 closing first half run, and then BSU pulled away after ISU whittled a Bronco lead to just 52-51 with 10 minutes left, and BSU won their fourth straight over the Bengals 79-67 in front of 2,679 in ISU's first game at Holt Arena this year.
The Bengals found themselves down 10 at 46-34, but came racing nearly all the way back. Demetrius Monroe and Amorrow Morgan hit buckets before a three-pointer by Broderick Gilchrest cut the lead to just five. BSU answered, and eventually was up 48-41 before ISU kept whittling the lead down. After a Kurt Cunningham dunk, Gilchrest hit a three-point play to make it 52-51.
BSU answered with a basket by Zack Moritz, his only shot of the game, and Gilchest missed a tying three on the other end, and BSU eventually pushed the lead to seven. ISU worked it back down to 60-58 when Gilchrest hit two free throws with 4:41 to go, but Paul Noonan hit a back-door layup which ignited a 12-1 run that put the game away for Boise State.
The Bengals had opened the game on an 8-0 blitz, and still led 21-13 with 6:23 left in the first half after a three-point play by Rolando Little, but the Broncos had a blitz of their own, going on an 18-4 run, keyed by back-to-back dunks by Robert Arnold and Daequon Montreal and then a third by Westly Perryman to take a 31-25 lead into the break.
The Bengals didn't turn the ball over much, only 13 times, but it seemed like they paid every time, as BSU scored 18 points on those turnovers, scoring on 10 of the 13 miscue. Conversely, ISU turned 11 BSU turnovers into just eight points.
The Bengals had four in double-figures, led by Gilchrest, who scored 20, and Morgan, who had 14. Demetrius Monroe had 13 and eight rebounds, playing all 40 minutes, and Rolando Little added a career-high 12. Ike Okoye for Boise State led all scorers with 23 points and nine rebounds, and La'Shard Anderson added 15, and Robert Arnold chipped in 13. Anderson also dished out seven assists.
ISU outrebounded Boise State 34-30, including grabbing 17 offensive rebounds. Gilchrest added five assists as well. The Broncos shot well, hitting .537 for the game, while ISU was just .429, and they suffered their first sub-.700 night from the line as well, going just 9-of-16 from the line, just a .563 mark.
The Bengals get no rest for the weary as the team leaves at 8 am on Thursday morning to head to Southern California to take on the Trajons at 8:35 pm on Friday night at the Galen Center.
NOTES: Austin Kilpatrick became the first Bengal to foul out, coming with 39.2 seconds left ... ISU has lost their Division I opener in Holt in each of the last three years ... Little's 12 points were on a perfect 5-for-5 night from the line ... ISU went 4-for-17 from the three-point line ... BSU recorded seven blocks, six in the first half ... Deividas Busma missed his second straight game with an injured foot, and he will now be out until Christmas.
