Feb. 26, 2010
Final Stats
Complete Booklet: Idaho State 63 - Portland State 51 
Pocatello, ID - Idaho State (13-14, 8-6 BSC) clinched its spot in the Big Sky post season tournament with its 63-51 victory over Portland State (14-13, 8-6 BSC) for ISU's first win over the Vikings since 2007 improving the series to 20-19 in ISU's favor. Senior Oana Iacovita posted a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds, her fifth of the season. Idaho State improved to 8-6 in league play to tie for fourth in the Big Sky standings with Portland State.
The Bengals knew they needed a win or a Northern Colorado loss on Saturday to clinch its 12th Big Sky tournament appearance so Idaho State kicked its game into high-gear never trailing in the contest putting ISU's destiny in its own hands.
"It's nice not to have to rely on someone. Again, it's coming through when you need to," said Idaho State Head Coach Seton Sobolewski of ISU capturing the win that ensured the Bengals a post season appearance. "Anytime you feel like you have more control as a coach the better off you feel."
Both of Iacovita's figures in her double-double were game highs. The senior forward stepped up early for the Bengals as she was one rebound shy of her double-double in the first half alone. She posted 18 points and nine rebounds in the first half hitting 8-of-14 from the field. She would hit 10-of-18 from the field, 55.6 percent, for the game, and she was 2-of-2 from the line.
"It was a good first half for me. My teammates were able to give me the ball," said Iacovita. "I owed Portland State because my performance in the last game wasn't where I should have been. I tried to come out and step my game up."
Andrea Videbeck, a senior guard, would record 17 points for the Bengals, earning a majority of her points from the free throw line when she posted her second 10-of-10 effort of the season. Videbeck already led the free throw percentage by an individual for the conference of perfect performances at the line with the most made shots when she hit 10-of-10 in the final 1:04 at Weber State, she now owns that accomplishment twice.
The Bengals posted a season-high 90.9 percent from the line hitting 20-of-22 for the contest. Idaho State missed just one free throw in each half, posting 4-of-5 in the first half and 16-of-17 in the second. Along with Videbeck, Iacovita, Devin Diehl, Ashley Smith and Chelsea Pickering had perfect efforts at the line all four hitting 2-of-2 for the contest. Freshman Ashleigh Vella hit 2-of-4 from the line, but was ISU's third double-figure point scorer with 10 for the game. She also chipped in five rebounds.
Idaho State worked itself to a nine-point lead in the first half with 5:44 remaining off a Iacovita layup. The Bengals held Portland State to a seven point lead, but Viking Claire Faucher would drain an NBA three-pointer in the final second before the half to put ISU up 31-27 at halftime.
"It kind of killed a little bit of the momentum. With Faucher you can't take an eye off of her," said Sobolewski of the Viking's trey, her second of three in the contest.
Faucher posted 10 points for Portland State and recorded eight rebounds. She also posted three assists, four steals and a blocked shot. The Vikings were led by Eryn Jones who put 19 points on the board. The forward was 7-of-19 from the field and more impressively knocked down four three-pointers.
At the start of the second half Portland State posted a 3-0 run to start to come within a point of the Bengals. The Vikings would come as close at the 11:27 mark down 36-35, but Idaho State would pull away with a 9-3 run to lead by seven points with 7:35 remaining. Jones would attempt to dampen the Bengals spirit with a 5-0 run of her own.
Freshman Morgan Wohltman's three-pointer with 2:45 left put a dagger in the Vikings as they fouled to recover, but the Bengals would take it away from the line hitting 15-of-16 in the final minutes before running out the clock to end the game ahead by 12 points.
Idaho State's defense was strong as the Bengals held Portland State to 51 points, its lowest scoring Big Sky loss this season. The Vikings defeated Montana 49-47 at home earlier in the season.
"I think this proves how we've been progressing. That after the five-game losing streak we've picked our game up and we're playing better and better. Hopefully this will culminate in the conference tournament," said Iacovita.
Idaho State finishes the weekend 24 hours later by hosting Eastern Washington on Saturday, February 27 at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym. Eastern Washington leads the league with an 11-3 record and was the first team to clinch its post season appearance.
Notes: Idaho State posted its first victory over the Vikings under Head Coach Sobolewski who is 1-3 against Portland State ... Idaho State is on a four game win streak.
