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POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State (13-5) defeated Portland State (11-6, 3-2 BSC) 78-63 Monday night at Reed Gym. The win over the Vikings puts the Bengals at 5-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2000-01 season. There were three Bengals in double figures, Senior
Chelsea Pickering led the way with a season-high 21 points.
Sophomore
Cydney Horton recorded her first career double-double against the Vikings with 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Junior
Kaela Oakes scored 13 points.
“Portland State started switching some screens which allowed us to get the ball down into the post,” ISU Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski said. “We wanted the low person to be active and try to find an open gap and it just happened to work quite a bit. Between
Cydney Horton and
Jessa Jeppesen, we are averaging a double-double at the five position and they are just doing a great job.”
Sophomore
Lindsey Reed brought down nine rebounds to help the Bengals in their win and Junior
Ashleigh Vella added seven assists.
“Vella did a nice job getting the ball to people who were open,” Sobolewski said. “She was very unselfish.”
In the first half, ISU came out swinging. With the game tied at 22-22 with 8:27 in the half,
Chelsea Pickering made a jump shot which led to a 15-0 run that set the pace for the rest of the game. By halftime Idaho State led 45-30. ISU outrebounded Portland State 18-13 and scored 12 more points in the paint than the Vikings.
In the second half, PSU came out looking strong with two made jumpers in the first minute. These shots brought them within 11 points of ISU, the closest they would get for the rest of the game. The Bengals then went on a 9-0 run. Their largest lead of the game was 25 points with 11:47 left in the game.
“Our team chemistry is pretty good,” Sobolewski said. “We feel good about each other. The girls get along great. The like being around one another and I think that's huge. It's always fun to be with them whether we are on the road, in practice or watching film. They are very positive and just great to be around and I think that really facilitates great team chemistry.”
The Bengals will go on the road for their next three Big Sky contests against Northern Arizona (1/21), Northern Colorado (1/26) and Weber State (1/28). They will return home on February 2 to face the Bobcats of Montana State. The game is at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym.
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