Bengals Open Season at Home Against Loyola Marymount, Play at Boise State Sunday

Game Notes: Loyola Marymount and Boise State

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Idaho State opens the 2010-11 season at home for the first time in five years when the Bengals host Loyola Marymount on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym.   Two days later the Bengals will head to Boise, Idaho to play in-state rival Boise State in ISU's first road game of the season on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2:05 p.m. at the Taco Bell Arena.  Live stats will be available for both contests at each respective university's athletic web page.  Free video web streaming is available at BigSkyTV.  ISU's radio broadcast is piped in over BigSkyTV broadcasts, but can also be accessed at www.isubengals.com or locally on 91.1 FM. 

LAST SEASON RESULTS IN A NUTSHELL
The Bengals come off their 12th Big Sky Tournament appearance where the Bengals fell in the quarterfinals  75-61 to eventual tournament champion Portland State.  Idaho State's Big Sky tournament appearance marked its seventh consecutive showing for Idaho State's longest streak in school history.  Idaho State finished the season 15-15 overall, tying for the sixth most victories in a single season in program history.  The Bengals posted a 10-6 Big Sky record tying for second place in the conference standings with Montana and Sacramento State.  The Bengals' senior forward Oana Iacovita earned two all-tournament teams including her second straight Big Sky all-tournament team honor as well as being unanimously selected first team all-conference.  ISU's senior guard Andrea Videbeck earned honorable mention recognition.  Iacovita was later named NCAA's Conference Honoree Woman of the Year.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE PLAYERS OF THE 2010-11 SEASON
Idaho State returns seven letter winners to the team and two starters, three if fans count Andrea Blodgett who began play for the Bengals following the fall school semester.  She started all nine of ISU's final contests to close out the season.  Idaho State is lead by four seniors, Chelsea Pickering, Blodgett, Kari Green and Aralee Smith. Pickering is ISU's top returning player.  She averaged 10.2 points per game last season and 11 ppg in Big Sky action.  Blodgett averaged 3.6 points in conference play while Green competed in five contests and averaged 0.4 points per game.  Smith returns to the Bengals after redshirting due to NCAA transfer rules.  Smith transferred back to Idaho State after playing a season at Arkansas.  She previously played for the Bengals under Head Coach Jon Newlee from 2006-08.

FIVE FRESHMAN JOIN IDAHO STATE
The Bengals welcome five freshman to the 2010-11 squad: Sheryl Bitter, Jessica Jensen, Kara Jenkins, Cydney Horton and Lindsey Reed.  ISU's freshmen include three guards, Bitter, Jenkins and Reed, and two forwards, Horton and Jensen. 

PICKERING GRANTED FIFTH YEAR
Senior guard Chelsea Pickering was granted a fifth year by the NCAA when injuries plagued the Bengal during her freshman season allowing her to play just 17 minutes over three contests.  Pickering will continue to compete as a senior for the 2010-11 season as her first year statistics still count toward her career record. 

ABOUT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
Loyola Marymount comes of a 101-75 exhibition victory over The Master's College at home.  Juniors Candice Nichols and Alex Cowling each had double-doubles.  Nichols had a game-high 24 points and Cowling 21, with each grabbing 11 boards, to help the Lions, who forced 28 turnovers and grabbed 65 rebounds in the win.

SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
Idaho State and the Lions are tied 2-2 in its series record with Loyola Marymount capturing the last two meeting.  LMU defeated the Bengals 69-55 during the 2008-09 season meeting at the Loyola Marymount Ayres Thanksgiving Tournament.  Bengal Oana Iacovita earned all-tournament team honors.  LMU edged out the Bengals 62-61 during the 1995-96 season.  ISU' last victory over the Lions was a 69-62 decision during the fall of the 1989-90 season

ABOUT BOISE STATE
Boise State comes off a 96-48 exhibition victory over St. Martin's at the Taco Bell Arena.  All 10 Broncos who played scored for Boise State led by Kati Isham with 15 points, followed by Heather Pilcher and Nicole Brady with 12 each. Boise State shot the ball extremely well hitting 64 percent from the floor, 58 percent from behind the arc and 70 percent from the free-throw line. It was an all out team effort in the 48-point victory for the Broncos in their lone exhibition game of the fall.  Boise State will host Portland on Friday, November 12 at 4 p.m. to open the season.  In fact, the Broncos will be on a four-game home streak to open the season.

SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH BRONCOS
Boise State leads the series 41-18 with the Broncos on a seven-game win streak.  Idaho State nearly upset the WAC contenders during the 2005-06 season when they were taken to double-overtime before falling 91-89.  Idaho State held BSU to five points at the half in their last meeting, during the 2009-10 season, before being overcome 76-60 at Reed Gym.  The last time Idaho State defeated Boise State was during the 2003-04 season with a 97-77 decision.  ISU's 2003-04 victory capped a three-game win streak for the Bengals.  Head Coach Sobolewski is 0-2 against Boise State.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOTHING LIKE LAST SEASON
Idaho State's non-conference schedule had the 14th best strength of schedule in the nation on November 30th, six games into the 2009-10 season.  The Bengals played No. 13 California and No. 19 Arizona State.  In ISU's first six games, five were undefeated going up against the Bengals.  This season has one opponent in the top 25 of the rankings so far.  Texas is currently ranked 17th in the nation in the preseason AP Division I Ranking.

PICKERING HAS HOMECOMING IN TEXAS
Senior guard Chelsea Pickering will have a five game homecoming in Texas when she returns to her home state for a week.  It will be her first time playing in front of her home town crowd when the Bengals play at Texas Tech on Sunday, Nov. 21, at Texas State on Nov. 23, and at Texas on Nov. 24.   ISU will then compete at the UTEP tournament where they will play UTEP on Friday, Nov. 26 then either High Point or Arkansas on Nov. 27 before returning home.  ISU had a five game road streak during the 2009-10 non-conference season.

BENGALS SIGN THREE GUARDS FROM WASHINGTON
Idaho State women's basketball inked three guards from Washington to National Letters of Intent during basketball's early signing period on Wednesday afternoon.  The Bengals acquired signatures from Eatonville's Rebecca Schrimpsher, Issaquah's Blaire Brady and Evergreen's Justine Joudrey.