Jan. 8, 2010
Final Stats
Northern Arizona Box Score 
Pocatello, ID - Idaho State's late 16-2 run in the first half cushioned the Bengals in a 67-60 victory over Northern Arizona to capture ISU's first Big Sky home victory at Reed Gym Friday night. Freshman Ashleigh Vella led the Bengals with a career-high 14 points to help ISU extend its home-winning streak to five. Idaho State (7-9) improves to 2-1 in Big Sky play to tie for third in the conference standings with Montana.
Three Bengals posted double-figures in scoring with one in double-figures for rebounding. Vella led the Bengals for the first time this season with 14 points hitting 4-of-5 from the field and all six of her free throw attempts. Senior Andrea Videbeck, a guard, recorded a career-high 13 points while junior Chelsea Pickering chipped in 12 points.
Senior forward Oana Iacovita matched her season-high 11 rebounds, all gathered on the defensive end. She helped the Bengals out-rebound Northern Arizona 41-to 32 for ISU third contest out-rebounding an opponent.
The game had a sloppy start for both teams with eight turnovers committed in the first five minutes alone, six by Idaho State. The Bengals would record 12 of its 17 turnovers in the first half, but they weren't alone as Northern Arizona recorded 10 of its 16 turnovers in the first half as well. ISU's turnovers compounded by a cool offensive streak gave Northern Arizona (2-13, BSC 0-2) a 12-7 lead, its largest of the game with 12:05 remaining in the opening half.
"I thought we were over anxious and impatient. I think we were really excited and pushing the ball hard on the fast break and started turning it over," said Head Coach Seton Sobolewski. "The things that we could have taken advantage of we weren't looking for and we were taking rushed shots. We played really good defense during that stretch in the first half so that offensive lull didn't affect us that much, but I think it took us awhile to settle down."
"Coach told us not to force it in there," stated Videbeck. "NAU was being aggressive in the passing lane so I tried not to pass the ball when their players were close so they wouldn't get a steal and we wouldn't waste the possession. I just took things a little slower mentally."
Northern Arizona was able to work off the Bengals early mistakes. Tyler Stephen-Jenkins hit a lay-up to give the Lumberjacks its largest lead of five at 12-7; however it was Amy Patton who scored Northern Arizona's first 10 points.
The 5-9 guard would continue to post 14 points in the first half and a career-high 30 points for the game in her double-double effort complete with 11 rebounds. Patton's 14 points in the first half was all but four of NAU's scoring as the team compiled 18 points in the opening stretch. Patton scored half of the Lumberjack's points for the game.
"She's good and the way she shoots the ball and leans back to create space as she shoots it is tough to contest. You can be right in front of her and still not be able to block her shot," said Head Coach Sobolewski. "It's kind of like Dirk Nowitzki."
Idaho State would respond and roll out on a 16-2 run to take a ten-point lead, 28-18 at the break, led by junior guard Pickering with eight points. The Bengals would extend its run to 26-4 with a 10-2 start in the second half to give ISU its first 18 point lead of the game off a drive layup by Vidbeck at the 16:11 mark.
The Bengals would hold onto its strong lead as redshirt junior Andrea Blodgett gave ISU its second 18-point lead at the 10:03 mark off a trey. Nevertheless, Northern Arizona would dwindle down the Bengal double-figure lead when Patton and Caty Huntington combined for a 9-0 run pegging the Bengals down to a five point lead.
"I think its complacency thinking the game is won or just trying to ride it out," said Sobolewski. "We just felt like it was over and it wasn't. NAU kept playing and they hit some big shots."
Though Idaho State had struggled at the line over the course of the season, averaging 67.8 percent going into the game, they would be perfect from the charity stripe in the final minutes against the Lumberjacks. Idaho State would go 6-of-6 from the line, Vella putting away four and Iacovita two with 1:55 remaining to keep the game in ISU's favor.
The Bengals will have 24 hours to mull over its game of highs and lows as the Big Sky Conference's newly implemented Friday-Saturday schedule will finally strike the Bengals as the host Northern Colorado on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym.
Northern Colorado comes off a 61-52 loss at Weber State where the Bears struggled from turnovers to fall to fifth place ranking in the conference standings with a 1-1 record. Both ISU and the Bears will be playing on hard-pressed legs on Saturday.
"It's going to be tough," said senior Videbeck of the quick turnaround. "I think we just have to come out aggressive and people's mindsets have to let go from tonight and focus on tomorrow."
