Idaho State vs. Montana State
Date: Thursday, Feb. 17
Site: ICCU Court at Reed Gym
Tip-off: 7:05 p.m.
TV: Big Sky TV
Live Stats: ISU Live Stats
Radio: The Bengal Radio Network, KISU 91.1 FM, Pocatello. (Play by play:
Mark Liptak, Color Commentary:
Brad Bugger). Carried throughout Southern Idaho and on the Internet at www.isubengals.com.
Game Notes: Montana State
BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (15-8, 6-4 BSC) will host Big Sky leader Montana State (15-10, 9-2 BSC) on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7:05 p.m. at the ICCU Court at Reed Gym. The Bengals are defending their 13-game home win streak while the Bobcats have already clinched a spot in the Big Sky Tournament. Idaho State will support breast cancer awareness by wearing pink during warm-ups for its Pink Zone game against Montana State and Montana.
THINK PINK PROMOTION
Help the Idaho State women's basketball team support breast cancer awareness by wearing pink to the Bengals' contests against Montana State and Montana at the ICCU Court at Reed Gym. The Think Pink two-pack ticket deal where fans can see both the Montana State and Montana games for $10. ISU hosts Montana State on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7:05 p.m. and Montana on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7:05 p.m.
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 at www.isubengals.com. Fans can purchase tickets at www.isubengals.com or by calling 208-282-FANS. Individual game tickets can also be purchased one hour before tip-off.
BENGALS IN DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Andrea Blodgett, a senior guard, posted her first career double-double, the Bengals' third this season with 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Idaho State's other two double-doubles both came from sophomore forward Vella. Vella recorded a team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds against Sacramento State at Reed Gym and posted a career-high 31 point and 11 rebound effort at Utah in ISU's first ever victory over the Utes.
FAST BREAKS ON IDAHO STATE...
• Head Coach Sobolewski became a father on Sunday, Feb. 6 when his first child, daughter, Aubrey Kate Sobolewski was born at the Portneuf Medical Center. She was born on Superbowl Sunday.
• ISU pulled down a season-low five offensive rebounds at Northern Arizona and dropped their first game under Head Coach Sobolewski when allowing 0-59 points. ISU is now 26-1 when allowing opponents 0-59 points. The contest also marked the first Saturday loss of the season. ISU is now 7-1 on Saturdays.
• Senior guard Blodgett separated her shoulder the last time ISU played Northern Arizona.
• Freshman guard
Kara Jenkins scored a career-high eight points at Northern Arizona hitting 3-of-4 from the field (75 percent) and 2-of-2 from the line (100 percent).
• Idaho State has only had two players post double-doubles: Vella (31 points, 11 rebounds and 20 points and 11 rebounds) and Blodgett (12 points, 10 rebounds).
Lindsey Reed is the only other Bengal to record a double-figure in rebounds with 10 at Montana State. The Bengals have come close to double-figures four times with nine rebound efforts.
• Idaho State leads the Big Sky for all games in field goal percentage at 42 percent (71st in the nation), in free throw percentage at 76.4 percent (10th in the nation) and three-point field goal percentage at 35 percent (47th in the nation).
• Pickering holds the ninth best record in school history for made three-point field goals at 85.
VELLA LEADS THE FIELD FOR IDAHO STATE
Vella leads the Bengals from the field knocking down 52 percent (104-of-200) for the season and 52.1 percent (49-of-94) in conference games. Her season mark is the second best in the league and her league mark is fifth best in the Big Sky. Montana State's Rachel Semansky leads the Big Sky for all games at 53.5 percent (114-of-213).
WIN TOTAL MATCHES LAST SEASON'S
Idaho State's 63-58 victory over Portland State improved the Bengals to a 15-7 record matching the team's win total from last year also marking the most wins since ISU went 20-10 in the 2007-08 season. Both 15 win seasons under Sobolewski ties for the sixth most victories in a single season for a Head Coach at Idaho State.
BENGALS ON 13-GAME HOME WIN STREAK
ISU is the only Big Sky team undefeated at home with an 9-0 record at Reed Gym. Idaho State is on a 12-game home win streak dating back to early February of the 2009-10 season. It is the longest home win streak under Head Coach Sobolewski. Idaho State's longest home win streak was 17 matches from the end of the 1999-00 season to the start of the 2001-02 season. The Bengals were undefeated with a 15-0 home record in 2000-01 and posted a 25-5, 16-0 BSC record.
LAST FIVE GAME SUMMATION
Idaho State has won four of its last five games averaging 66.8 points per contest. In it's last five games the Bengals have averaged 43.6 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from the arc and 73 percent from the line. Idaho State has three players averaging double-figures led by Oakes with 14.6 ppg, followed by Vella with 14.2 and Pickering with 13.4. Vella is averaging 56.3 percent from the field followed by Oakes at 45.6 percent. Five Bengals average over 30 percent from three-point range. Freshman guard
Lindsey Reed has averaged seven rebounds a game. The Bengals have started off strong out-scoring its opponents 152-139 in the first period.
PICKERING'S PLAY CONSISTENTLY GOOD
Senior Guard
Chelsea Pickering's 16.4 points per game average had led the Bengals all season and is 89th best in the nation. She has recorded 19 double-figure scoring games this season, four 20-plus and one 30-plus scoring games. She held a 14-game double-figure scoring streak earlier in the season.
OAKES IS CLUTCH FREE THROW SHOOTER
Oakes is a clutch free throw shooter leading the Bengals hitting 21-of-22 from the line in the last two minutes. Oakes missed her first shot at the line in a 1-of-2 effort after being accidentally hit in the stomach by EWU's Tatijana Sparavalo that knocked the wind out of her. She averages 79.5 percent from the field.
VELLA STANDS ALONE AT THE LINE
Vella has had two contests this season where she scored all of ISU's free throw efforts. She hit 5-of-5 against Montana Tech at Reed Gym and she was 2-of-3 at Montana State.
ABOUT MONTANA STATE
Montana State (15-10, 9-2 BSC) leads the Big Sky Conference and has clinched its appearance in the postseason Big Sky conference tournament. Montana State has four players in double-figure scoring in league contests led by Katie Bussey at 16.2 points per game. Rachel Semansky and Chelsea Banis follow averaging 15.7 and 15 points each. The Bobcats come off a 92-79 victory over Sacramento State on the road where MSU had five players in double-figures with two players posting 20-plus points led by Lyndi Seidensticker with 21. Sarah Balian recorded a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Semansky also had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH BOBCATS
Montana State leads the series 40-25 with the Bobcats capturing the last meeting 83-63 on Jan. 24 at the Worthington Arena. In the last meeting Pickering scored 13 of her game-high 21 points in the second half but a late 13-2 run by Montana State overwhelmed the Bengals in their 83-63 loss at to cap a four-game road stretch. Pickering was 9-of-25 from the field and 3-of-7 from the arc. Sophomore forward Vella chipped in 15 points hitting 6-of-11 from the field.
Montana State's 13-2 run gave the Bobcats its biggest lead of the night at 27 points ahead 74-47 with five minutes remaining. ISU was able to work back to a 20-point deficit with Pickering hitting a final second three-pointer to end the game. Montana State was led in scoring by Semansky with 19 points. Balian recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. MSU lead the conference in the last meeting with an undefeated 6-0 record. Idaho State is 1-4 against Montana State under Soboblewski.
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