Feb. 12, 2009
Final Stats
Complete Portland State Box Score 
Portland, OR-Idaho State nipped at the heels of Big Sky Conference leader Portland State for 30 minutes of play reducing the Viking lead to just one but would fall behind by ten at the final buzzer 71-61 at the Peter W. Stott Center Thursday night. The Bengals struggled with turnovers giving Portland State 24 points from the errors. Portland State's Kelsey Kahle and Claire Faucher took advantage of the costly mistakes recording 20-plus point games each to seal the Viking victory.
Portland State's Kahle had a stand-out performance against the Bengals posting 28 points and eight rebounds. Kahle's first 10 points were also Portland State's first ten as the Viking single handedly took a 10-4 lead against ISU. Portland State (10-1 Big Sky) would continue to spread the score until senior Jenna Brown hit two free throws sparking a 10-4 run. Grohs hit a three from the right wing to send it within two and junior Devin Diehl cleaned it up going 2-2 at the line to tie it up at 22-22 with six minutes remaining in the first.
Seniors Brown and Grohs led the Bengals with 16 points each with Brown 5-of-10 from the field and 6-of-8 from the line while Grohs was 7-of-15 from the field and 2-of-6 from the arc. Grohs had the only double-double for the Bengals, her seventh of the season. She grabbed 13 rebounds, a career-high; nine on defense, four on offense. Portland State's Faucher would post the only other double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. Junior Oana Iacovita chipped in 13 points for the Bengals.
Idaho State (4-6 Big Sky) struggled with turnovers early digging themselves holes posting 12 in the first half alone giving Portland State 13 free points. The quick transition game by the Vikings caused ISU trouble as Portland State posted seven unanswered points from the 22-22 tie mark. Idaho State would reduce it to five before the half as Portland State led 33-28 into the break.
Kahle led the Vikings in the first half knocking down 18 points hitting 9-of-11 from the field for 82 percent accuracy. In the second half Faucher would take over adding posting 14 points hitting 7-of-10 from the line, 3-of-7 from the field including one three-pointer.
ISU would trail by six until the first media timeout until a jumper by Iacovita sprang a 10-5 run ending with an uncontested jumper by Brown off a screen at the left elbow putting the Bengals behind by a single point at 44-43. Head coach Seton Sobolewski took his first timeout of the half at the 10:52 mark after the Bengals had a chance to overcome.
Unfortunately, Kahle turned on the charm missing a layup snatching her own offensive rebound and putting the shot back up for two points as well as drawing a foul. Kahle finished out the three points with her shot at the line and seemingly passing the torch to Faucher who would have a field day at the stripe for the Vikings from that point on posting her 7-of-10 in the remaining 9:52. Faucher would post 14 points in the second half alone adding to her 20 point game.
Portland State kicked it into gear after the Bengals were within a point of catching up to them and post an 18-3 run to hold their largest lead of 16 at the 3:42 mark. The Vikings' quick transition was a struggle for the Bengals; PSU would post 12 points from fast breaks over the course of the contest.
Idaho State faced a full court press sporadically from the Vikings but was able to avert it and PSU would drop its efforts. Idaho State would attempt to close the gap, but in an effort to stop the clock the Bengals sent the Vikings to the charity stripe which was a solid strategy as the Vikings struggled 60 percent in the second half alone, 55.6 percent for the game. ISU would reduce the lead to eight, but two made free throws from Faucher would close out the contest with the Bengals down ten, 71-61 to conclude the game.
Portland State improves to 10-1 in Big Sky play to hold their position as the conference leader; they are 17-7 for the season. Idaho State falls from third to fifth place in the standings tying Northern Colorado with a 4-6 Big Sky record. The Bengals are 7-16 for the season.
Idaho State hopes to feel the love against Eastern Washington as they take on the Eagles on Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14 in EWU's Pink Zone Game at Reese Court at 3:05 p.m. MT. Pink Zone Games are used to raise awareness of Breast Cancer and fans are encouraged to wear Pink to show their support.
Notes: Portland State had more turnovers in the second half than ISU leading 8-5, however ISU led overall with 20-13 ... Idaho State shot 39.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from the arc in the first half ... ISU was a perfect 4-4 at the line in the first half ... Portland State shot 46 percent for the game ... ISU trailed by five in each half ... PSU out rebounded ISU 37-34 and scored six more points off of second chances than the Bengals ... The Bengals also struggled at the line in the second half hitting 66.7 percent from the line ... Diehl chipped in eight points and was 5-of-6 from the line ... Freshman Sheila Adams and Grohs both hit two three pointers ... Only five Bengals played double-digit minutes.
