Idaho State at Northern Colorado
Date: Monday, Feb. 28
Site: Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion
Tip-off: 7:05 p.m.
TV: Big Sky TV
Live Stats: Bears 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: Northern Colorado
BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (16-10, 7-6 BSC) plays its final road contest of the season at first place Northern Colorado (16-11, 11-3 BSC) on Monday, Feb. 28 at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion with a tip-off time at 7:05 p.m. The Bears return home after defeating Northern Arizona in Flagstaff 62-56 on Saturday. The NAU loss clinched Idaho State's spot in the Big Sky tournament.
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. 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.
THE ROAD TO THE TOURNAMENT
Idaho State makes its eighth straight appearance, a school record, and third straight under the current coaching staff on March 10. NAU's 62-56 loss to Northern Colorado clinched ISU's postseason berth. The Bengals' farthest advancement under Sobolewski in the Big Sky tournament was the semifinals during the 2008-09 season.
FAST BREAKS ON IDAHO STATE...
• Idaho State notched a season-high tying 45 rebounds at Weber State. ISU set the mark in the first game of the season at Loyola Marymount.
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Chelsea Pickering put up a career-high 11 three-point attempts at Weber State. She was 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) from the arc.
• Pickering is nearing several top-ten single season records at Idaho State. She is 28 points away from tying the tenth best single season points record at 449 held by Oana Iacovita. She is three steals away from tying the tenth best single season steals record at 57 held by Shelley Hand and seven three-point field goals away the tenth best single season trey record at 49 with Shannon Copple.
• Idaho State leads the Big Sky for all games in three-point field goal percentage at 34.9 percent (44th in the nation) and in free throw percentage at 76.7 percent (9th in the nation).
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Lindsey Reed recorded her second double-figure rebound contest exactly one month apart. Reed recorded 10 rebounds at Montana State on Jan. 24 and 10 rebounds at Weber State on Feb. 24. Reed recorded her first career double-double at Weber State when she scored 13 points. Reed also posted a season-high two blocks at Weber State.
• Idaho State is 22-11 in its last 33 games giving the Bengals a winning percentage at 66.7 percent. In conference contests of their last 20 games ISU holds a 13-7 record putting ISU at a 65.0 winning percentage.
• Idaho State has had four contests where Bengals have been perfect from the line with a 6-of-6 effort., a season-high.
Kaela Oakes owns three of those records including back-to-back performances against Montana State and Montana at Reed Gym.
• Idaho State has hit 40 percent or better from the field 14 times, 40 percent or better from three-point range 13 times and 90 percent or better from the line. Idaho State has had 10 games this season where they have hit 40 percent or better from both the field and from the arc.
SECOND BEST HOME ATTENDANCE RECORD AGAINST MONTANA
Idaho State set the second highest home attendance record since 2003 at Reed Gym with 1,818 fans. Unfortunately, Montana handed Idaho State its first loss at home for the season, in a back and forth battle 63-60, dropping ISU's home record to 10-1 and ending the second longest home win streak in school history at 14. Idaho State has averaged 1080 fans per game at Reed Gym this season. Under Sobolewski Idaho State has posted a 24-11 (.686) record at Reed Gym. The longest home win streak was 17 games from the end of the 1999-00 season to the start of the 2001-02 season.
PICKERING AND OAKES EARN FIRST ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Senior guard Pickering and sophomore guard Oakes are the first women's basketball players at Idaho State to earn Academic All-America awards for their outstanding achievements on the floor and in the classroom. Pickering and Oakes were both named to Capital One Academic All-America All-District VIII Second Team. Pickering holds a 3.66 GPA while double majoring in Health Care Administration and MBA. Oakes holds a 3.85 GPA while majoring in nursing.
WIN TOTAL EXCEEDS LAST SEASON'S
Idaho State improved to 16 wins for the season tying for the fifth most victories for a Head Coach at Idaho State. If Idaho State wins its last five games of the regular season the Bengals have the opportunity to earn 21 wins for the second most in a single season at Idaho State. ISU's record is held by Ardie McInelly with 25 wins during the 2000-01 season.
BENGALS WITH DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Idaho State has had three players post double-doubles:
Ashleigh Vella (31 points, 11 rebounds at Utah and 20 points and 11 rebounds against Sacramento State), Blodgett (12 points, 10 rebounds against Eastern Washington) and Reed (13 points, 10 rebounds at Weber State).
OAKES IS CLUTCH FREE THROW SHOOTER
Oakes is a clutch free throw shooter leading the Bengals hitting 25-of-26 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 80.6 percent from the line for the season.
ABOUT NORTHERN COLORADO
Northern Colorado jumped to the front of the conference race with a 62-56 win over Northern Arizona improving UNC's conference record to 11-3. The Bears are led by Lauren Oosdyke who leads the team with 15.9 points per game in league play. D'shara Strange chips in 12.1 ppg in Big Sky play. Northern Colorado is on a two game win streak posting a 13-3 record in its last 16 contests. Northern Colorado surpassed the Bengals on Friday in leading the league's field goal percentage for all games with 41.5 percent. After Saturday's victory the Bears improved to 41.6 percent from the field.
SERIES INFO AND LAST MEETING WITH THE BEARS
Idaho State is undefeated against the Bears having won 10 contests since the 1986-87 season. The Bengals have swept the Bears four times since joining the conference during the 2006-07 season. In the last meeting Idaho State defeated Northern Colorado 62-51 at the Butler-Hancock Pavilion on Feb. 11 that sparked a six-game win streak for the Bengals.
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