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BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (5-3) travels to Salt Lake City, Utah Tuesday, Dec. 6 to wrap-up a six-game road streth that began Nov. 19. Idaho State faces Utah (3-3) at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at 7 p.m. MST. Idaho State then returns to Pocatello to host Utah State Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. in Reed Gym. Fans can listen in to both games by tuning into 91.1 FM KISU or clicking on the audio streaming link at
www.isubengals.com. Live stats for the Utah game are availabe at
www.utahutes.cstv.com and at
www.isubengals.com for the Utah State game. Fans can also view the Utah game at
www.utahutes.cstv.com.
LAST WEEK IN BENGAL BASKETBALL
Idaho State (5-3) went 2-0 at the Air Force Classic over the weekend. Idaho State stunned Big East opponent South Florida 76-63 on Friday evening. Idaho State also defeated Jackson State 47-36 on Saturday afternoon. Junior guard
Kaela Oakes led ISU against South Florida with 22 points, three assists and two rebounds. Oakes hit a career-tying five three-point shots in the game and helped ISU open a 15-0 lead in the first half. For her performance, Oakes was named to the all-tournament team. Junior forward
Ashleigh Vella led the Bengals against Jackson State with a double-double coming from 22 points and a career-best 15 rebounds. Vella was named tournament MVP.
SOBOLEWSKI, LIPTAK REACH CENTENNIAL MARK
Idaho State Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski will coach his 100th game at the helm of the ISU women's basketball program on Tuesday, Dec. 6 against Utah. Sobolewsi sports a 49-50 all-time record with ISU and recorded his first winning season after just three seasons as head coach during the 2010-11 campaign. He has led the Bengals to back-to-back winning conference records in both 2009-10 and 2010-11. Sobolewski will become the 6th coach in school history (out of 11) to coach 100 or more games for ISU in women's basketball. Others were Nancy Shay (75-80), Mark French (83-87), Ted Anderson (87-95), Ardie McInelly (96-01) and Jon Newlee (02-08).
Mark Liptak, the Bengals' play-by-play announcer will also notch his 100th broadcast during the game against Utah. As always, ISU fans will be able to listen to the milestone broadcast by tuning into 91.1 FM KISU or by following the audio streaming link at
www.isubengals.com.
SIX-GAME ROAD STRETCH COMING TO AN END
After the Utah game, ISU will have completed a six-game road streth that began Nov. 19. The Bengals are 1-2 on the road and 3-1 at neutral sites. ISU has had just one home game this season, a win against in-state rival Boise State. Since the road trip at the beginning season that included match-ups against UTEP and New Mexico State and including the Utah game, ISU will have taken 10 bus trips, two van trips and 10 airplane flights. The total mileage traveled by the basketball team and staff in those 26 days comes out to 10,412 miles.
The Utah State game will kick off a five-game home run which will keep the Bengals in Pocatello through the month of December and will include contests against Utah State, Oklahoma Panhandle State, South Dakota, Great Falls and the first Big Sky conference game of the season against Northern Colorado on Monday, Jan. 2.
BENGAL HONORS
Eight games into the season, the ISU women's basketball team is already racking up several honors. Junior forward
Jessa Jeppesen has been named Bengal Athlete of the Week twice (Nov. 8 and Nov. 22) as well as College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week (Nov. 21). Junior guard
Kaela Oakes was named to the Air Force Classic All-Tournament Team (Dec. 3) and has been named College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week (Dec. 5). Junior forward
Ashleigh Vella was named Air Force Classic tournament MVP (Dec. 3).
BENGALS RANKED IN BIG SKY
Several players for Idaho State are making a statement not only for ISU but in the conference as well. Junior
Jessa Jeppesen in ranked No. 1 in the conference in field goal percentage with .585. She is also fourth in free throw percentage (.842) and tied for seventh in rebounds (6.5 per game). Sophomore
Lindsey Reed is second in the conference in minutes played, averaging 34.5 minutes per game. She is also fifth in free throw percentage (.824), ninth in scoring (14.2 per game) and tied for ninth in 3-point field goals made (1.5 per game). Sophomore
Cydney Horton is tied for seventh in the conference for rebounds, averagin 6.5 per game and is ninth in defensive rebounds with 4.7 per game. Junior
Ashleigh Vella is tied for 10th in the conference for free throw percentage with .750.
PICKERING GRANTED FIFTH YEAR
This is Pickering's fifth and final season playing for Idaho State. Pickering was granted a fifth year by the NCAA due to an injury that prevented her from playing most of the 2007-08 season.
BENGALS SCORE 100 POINTS IN EXHIBITION
The Idaho State women's basketball team broke the triple digit barrier for the first time since the 2006-07 season in the exhibition match-up against Montana Western as the Bengals rolled past the Bulldogs 100-61.
The last time the Bengals scored 100 or more points was in back-to-back games against Montana Tech (102-59) on Dec. 16, 2006 and again against Montana Western (102-64) on Dec. 20, 2006. Junior transfer
Jessa Jeppesen, led ISU with 19 points. The 6-2 forward also pulled down six rebounds, four offensive rebounds and two defensive.
PICKERING NAMED LOWE'S SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE
Senior
Chelsea Pickering has been selected as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
The field of 60 (30 men and 30 women) will be narrowed to 10 men and 10 women candidates midway through the season. The award winner will be announced during the NCAA Final Four April 1-3.
ABOUT UTAH
Utah posts a 3-3 record for the season. Taryn Wicijowski leads the Utes in points with 94, averaging 15.7 per game while Michelle Plouffe is the top rebounder for Utah as she has pulled down a total of 53 and averages 8.8 per game. The Utes have defeated Southern Utah, Detroit and Weber State. They have dropped games to Michigan, Arkansas and South Alabama. After defeating Weber State, 81-63 on December 1, the Utes are on a one game winning streak.
SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH UTAH
Idaho State met with Utah last season when the Bengals defeated Utah for the first time in program history in the Huntsman Center. The Bengals defeated the Utes 71-68 in overtime. Utah leads the all-time series between the two schools 27-1.
ABOUT UTAH STATE
Utah State posts a 5-3 record for the season and are on a two-game losing streak. Ashlee Brown leads the Aggies in points with 140, averaging 17.5 per game. Brown is also the top rebounder averaging 10.3 per contest. Maddy Plunkett leads from beyond the arc, hitting 9-17 this season for a .529 three-point percentage. Utah State has defeated Wyoming, Weber State, UC Irvine, Boise State and UC Riverside and dropped games to South Dakota State, Montana and Montana State.
SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH UTAH STATE
Idaho State met with Utah State last season when the Bengals defeated the Aggies 64-52. Idaho State has won the last five meetings with the Aggies, outscoring USU 310-266. Idaho State leads the all-time series between the two schools 15-13.
We Are Your Bengals
