March 5, 2010
Final Stats
Complete Booklet: Idaho State 69 - Sacramento State 67 OT 
Pocatello, ID - Senior Day ended with a bang as senior guard Andrea Videbeck put her head down and drove to the basket for a layup to give ISU a one-point lead with 14 seconds remaining then stole the ball in the final milliseconds to give the Bengals it 69-67overtime victory over Sacramento State (14-14, 9-6 BSC) at Reed Gym Friday night. Idaho State is on a six game win streak and improved its overtime record to 3-1 for the season. ISU is on a three-game overtime win streak.
Idaho State improved to 15-14 for the season and 10-6 in league action to hold second place in the Big Sky standings to end the regular season. The Bengals will now be focused on the remaining Big Sky games because ISU's ability to remain second place in the standings depends on the Big Sky's four contests on Saturday.
To maintain its second place standing, thus receiving a bye in the first round of the 2010 Big Sky Tournament, Idaho State will need Eastern Washington to defeat Portland State, Northern Colorado to defeat Montana and either Montana State to beat Northern Arizona or have NAU overcome Montana State and Weber State beat the Hornets. Currently, Idaho State could end up anywhere from the No. 2 seed to the No. 5 seed.
Seniors Videbeck, Devin Diehl, and Oana Iacovita were honored on Senior Day. Idaho State's Senior Day saw the future blossom for the Bengals as seniors and freshman alike stepped up in key moments. Senior forward Iacovita and freshman Ashleigh Vella posted a game-high 18 points.
Vella's 18 points was a career high and she was two rebounds shy of a double-double. Vella, a forward, was perfect from the field knocking down 6-of-6 as well as the arc where she was 1-of-1. She hit 5-of-6 from the line. Forward Iacovita hit 8-of-16 from the line and was a perfect 2-of-2 from range. Junior guard Chelsea Pickering chipped in 13 points; she hit 4-of-9 from the arc to lead the Bengals.
The Bengals slowed the pace of the game using every moment of the shot clock to reduce Sacramento State's possession time as the Hornets averaged 83.4 points per game in league play going into the contest. Idaho State held the Hornets to 67 points, from 76 attempts, in an overtime contest which was a defensive accomplishment as the last time Sacramento State was held under 70 points was on January 15 when the Hornets lost to Montana 77-61 in regulation at Dahlberg Arena. The Hornets later went on to defeat the Griz 100-83 at the Hornets' Nest in February.
"We wanted to slow the tempo down and reduce the number of shots or possession that they had," said Head Coach Seton Sobolewski. "We didn't want to play really fast. The faster the game the more possessions. The rule tonight was to try not to shoot unless there was 12 seconds left on the shot clock. If you had a layup we'd take it sooner, if we had a great shot we'd take it sooner, but for the most part we wanted to use clock."
Idaho State played a back-and-forth contest until Iacovita hit a jumper with 4:31 remaining in the first half to take a one-point lead with 21-20 on the scoreboard. Idaho State would remain in the lead, expanding to its largest lead of eight three times, its last coming off a trey from senior Diehl with 5:48 remaining in the second half.
However, Hornet forward Erika Edwards answered with a trey of her own that sparked a 14-3 run that also included two three-pointers from Emily Christensen, to take its first lead of the second half up 58-55. The Bengals subbed in a cold, Morgan Wohltman who made the game-tying regulation shot from the arc with 16 seconds remaining. Senior guard Charday Hunt raced down to the other end and threw up a three-pointer with one second remaining, but all 5-4 of Videbeck would block the shot. Pickering would grab the defensive rebound and the game headed into overtime.
The Hornets were led by Hunt who recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Edwards recorded 15 points knocking down five three-pointers. Christensen chipped in 13 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double.
Sacramento State sank three of its four treys in overtime; it's only made shots of the period, while Idaho State hit 3-of-4 from the field and put away 5-of-9 at the line. Videbeck posted her second block of the game after Hornet Edwards sank her trey to give Sacramento State a 67-66 lead. With 14 second remaining and the game on the line Videbeck put her head down and drove to the basket throwing up a layup roughly four feet to the side of the basket that kissed the glass and landed in.
Pickering would produce a steal to maintain Idaho State's possession with six seconds left, whereupon Hunt fouled. Pickering would miss her 1-of-1 attempt, but caught her own rebound forcing Hunt to send the Bengal guard to the line again. This time the Bengals were in double bonus as she hit the back end of her two free throws to give ISU the two point lead. Videbeck would steal on the inbound pass to clinch the 69-67 victory.
"We knew it would be a challenge, but for us to go into overtime and win it was pretty amazing," said senior guard Videbeck.
Idaho State was out-rebounded 49-38 with Sacramento State collecting 25 offensive rebounds to ISU's 12 o-boards. Sacramento State converted its second chance opportunities into 19 points while the Bengals earned 10 points. However, Idaho State recorded 34 points in the paint.
"You get the `W' and you feel good about it. You make some big plays and there were a lot of character tests in there that we came through on," said Sobolewski.
With Idaho State's victory over Sacramento State they clinched the regular season title for Eastern Washington and its right to host the 2010 Big Sky tournament. Idaho State will await the results of Saturday's games to learn their fate in the bracket for the league tournament that will be held in Cheney, Wash.
Notes: Videbeck recorded eight points and nine assists as well as a career-high tying two blocks ... Idaho State recorded six blocks with Iacovita and Vella tying with two each ... Senior Diehl posted seven points and three rebounds.
