Box Score FINAL BOX | FINAL STATS
CANCUN, Mexico – Idaho State (3-3) fell to Tulane (5-1) 45-37 Friday afternoon in a back-and-forth defensive battle. Two Bengals scored in double digits with sophomore guard
Lindsey Reed leading ISU with 12 points and junior guard
Kaela Oakes chipping in with 11. Reed also notched five rebounds, one assist and one block while Oakes posted two rebounds and three assists.
Junior forward
Ashleigh Vella rebounded after a cold streak in yesterday's game against Chattanooga, scoring eight points and pulling down six rebounds. She also had three assists and two steals.
Idaho State outrebounded Tulane 36-34 but allowed 12 offensive rebounds. Idaho shot 29.5 percent from the field throughout the contest and an impressive 42.9 percent from the three-point line. However, the Bengals did not capitalize on the opportunities given to them at the free-point line, going just 5-12 for the lowest free throw percentage in a game so far this season. ISU also gave up 22 turnovers in the contest.
“We gave the game away,” Sobolewski said. “From an offensive stand point we didn't take care of the ball and we didn't get enough shots. There were 22 opportunities where we didn't get a shot attempt and you can't win a close game like that. In a close game you have to do all the little things right. You have to make plays, you have to get offensive rebounds and put them back, you have to get on the free throw line and make your free throws. We had a great opportunity to beat a really good team and we gave it away.”
Defensively, the Bengals performed very well shutting down Tulane's top two scorers, Danielle Blagg and Olivia Grayson, in the competition and forcing 14 Tulane turnovers. Blagg and Grayson had been averaging a combined 28 points but the Bengals held Grayson to six points while Blagg shot 0-5 and scored no points. ISU held Tulane to just a 34.0 shooting percentage from the field and only allowed three three-pointers out of the 17 taken by the Green Wave.
“We played great defense,” Sobolewski said. “One of the best defensive games we have played all year. We held them to a 34 percent shooting percentage. Their leading scorer didn't score and their second leading scorer only got six. We played good enough defense to win that. Mentally we need to learn how to recover from our mistakes. We had a great opportunity. Tulane beat LSU and we had a chance to beat Tulane today and just didn't get it done.”
In the first half, a full court press by Tulane led to 13 Bengal turnovers and Idaho State trailed Tulane 13-4. Then at the 11:26 mark, Idaho State turned it around and went on a 16-7 run to tie it at half time 20-20. In the first 20 minutes, Vella led ISU with seven points and was 2-2 from beyond the arc. She also posted four rebounds, two assists and two steals. As a team, ISU shot 36 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.
Tulane opened the second half with a 10-1 run but ISU answered with a 9-0 run of its own and Oakes hit a huge three-pointer at the 12:46 mark to tie it up at 30-30. Tulane then scored quickly on back-to-back possessions to open up a five-point lead. A scoring drought by ISU midway through the half was just too much for ISU to recover from as Tulane won the battle 45-37.
Idaho State takes a week long break before returning to action against South Florida in the first round of the Air Force Classic. Tipoff is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ISU faces Jackson State in the second day of the tournament Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.
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