Game Notes: Sacramento State and Portland State
BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (10-4, 1-0) kicks off a four-game road stretch at Sacramento State (3-12, 0-2) on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 3:05 p.m. at the Hornets Nest, quickly followed by a trip to Portland State (7-7, 0-1) on Monday, Jan. 17 at 8:05 p.m. at the Peter W. Stott Center. Idaho State leads the conference with an overall winning record and looks to maintain its seven-game win streak.
MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION
ISU's contest will be broadcast by KISU 91.1 FM and online at www.isubengals.com. The action will be brought to you by play-by-play announcer
Mark Liptak with color commentary from
Brad Bugger. Fans can follow along through video streaming online at www.bigskytv.com as well as through live stats available on the ISU schedule page through www.isubengals.com.
CONFERENCE ROAD STRETCH
The last time Idaho State went on a four-game conference road stretch was during the 2009-10 season when ISU played at Weber State, Eastern Washington, Portland State and Sacramento State over 15 days from Jan. 15-30. Idaho State opened with a 57-49 win over the Wildcats before dropping the next three contests to begin a five-game losing streak.
ABOUT THE BENGALS
Idaho State leads the Big Sky Conference for all games hitting 41.2 percent from the field and 78.9 percent from the line. The Bengals also lead the conference by holding opponents to 35.6 percent from the field. ISU is averaging 67.5 points per game. In league games, ISU is holding its opponents to 15.8 percent from beyond the arc. Idaho State is 5-0 in the last five games and 8-2 in the last 10 games.
BENGAL STANDOUTS
Idaho State is led in scoring by senior guard
Chelsea Pickering averaging 17.9 points per game while hitting 43.8 percent from the floor. She also leads ISU with 36 steals this season, reaching her career 100th against Northern Arizona at Reed Gym. Sophomore forward
Ashleigh Vella leads the Bengals from the field at 51.8 percent and in rebounds averaging 6.2 per game.
Kaela Oakes leads ISU from the arc at 45.7 percent. Three Bengals average over 80 percent from the line.
FOUR BENGALS IN DOUBLE FIGURE SCORING
Idaho State has four players in double-figure scoring for the fifth straight week. Pickering not only leads the Bengals but the Big Sky Conference in all games with 17.9 points per game. ISU's other three players to average double-figures in scoring include Vella with 12.1 ppg followed by sophomore guard Oakes with 11.8 ppg and freshman guard Reed with 10.7 ppg. All four players are starters for the Bengals along with senior guard
Andrea Blodgett who averages 6.5 ppg.
IDAHO STATE LEADERS
Pickering leads the Big Sky in consecutive double-digit scoring games with 12 straight. Pickering's 17.9 ppg is the 38th best average in the nation. She has led Idaho State in scoring eight times. Vella, Reed and freshman forward
Cydney Horton have led the Bengals in rebounding four times. Pickering posted a career-high nine rebounds in ISU's contest against Northern Arizona.
ABOUT SACRAMENTO STATE
Sacramento State is on a six game losing streak falling most convincingly to Montana State 106-55 on the road to open conference play then they were defeated two days later 78-55 at Montana. Sacramento State is averaging 72.5 points per game and are led by sophomore forward Kylie Kuhns who averages 15.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Her rebounding mark is the fourth bet in the nation. As a team, Sacramento State is averaging 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from the arc.
SERIES INFO AGAINST THE HORNETS
Idaho State holds a 28-1 series record over the Hornets. In their first meeting last season Sacramento State recorded its first every victory over the Bengals in an 80-71 decision at the Hornets Nest. However, Idaho State redeemed itself with a hard fought 69-67 overtime win at home. Idaho State is 4-0 in overtime games against the Hornets with ISU capturing its first ever overtime victory in the Big Sky Conference tournament with a 78-76 quarterfinal win in 2009.
ABOUT PORTLAND STATE
Portland State is 2-4 in its last six games having fallen at Eastern Washington 70-52 on the road. Portland State will play at Northern Colorado on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 5 p.m. before hosting the Bengals at the Peter W. Stott Center two days later. Portland State is averaging 38 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from the arc for all games. The Vikings are led by Courtney VanBrocklin and Eryn Jones averaging 13.1 and 12.7 points per game. VanBrocklin also leads the team in rebounding averaging 5.7 per contest.
SERIES INFO AGAINST THE VIKINGS
Idaho State looks to break its 20-20 tie with Portland State even though the Vikings have won six of their last seven meetings. ISU fell 75-61 to PSU at Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Big Sky Tournament the last time they met. The last time Idaho State defeated Portland State was a 91-90 victory at Reed Gym on Feb. 24, 2007, also marking the last season that Idaho State advanced to the NCAA tournament.
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