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POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State defeated Northern Arizona (5-15, 1-7 BSC) Saturday evening in Holt Arena. The Bengals outscored the Lumberjacks 78-62 and improve to 5-14 and 3-4 in Big Sky play. NAU is now 1-12 in away games and 0-5 on the road in the Big Sky. Senior
Chase Grabau led Idaho State with a near double-double as the Boulder, Colo., native posted 19 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals.
“You never have to worry about Chase,” ISU Interim Head Coach Deane Martin said. “Chase is going to get shots. He doesn't do crazy stuff. He comes off screens hard, he sets good screens and a lot of times when you set good screens you just happen to be the man open. Chase has it figured out. He takes the ball to the basket, he gets fouled, he takes easy shots and when he doesn't have a good shot he dishes it out to his teammates. He plays hard and he plays the game the right way on both ends of the floor.”
Idaho State had two other players score in double digits as junior
Melvin Morgan posted 14 and senior
Kenny McGowen recorded 12. Senior
Abner Moreira led the rebound effort with nine.
Overall, the Bengals shot 51.9 percent from the field in the contest and 40 percent from the three-point line. ISU held the Lumberjacks to 19-of-43 from the floor for a 44.2 shooting percentage. Idaho State outrebounded NAU 38-22. The Bengals had nine team steals and forced 20 NAU turnovers. ISU had 17 assists compared to just seven for NAU.
In the first half, NAU opened an 11-point lead after going on a 6-0 run at the 17:21 mark and hitting four three-point shots in the first 10 minutes of play. Idaho State responded with an 8-0 run with 7:42 remaining in the half. With under two minutes to play, ISU hit back-to-back three-point shots to tie the game for the first time. The teams went into the locker room at the half tied at 32.
Grabau led ISU in the first half with 12 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals. ISU shot 42.3 percent while NAU shot 52.4. Idaho State went 3-8 from beyond the arc while NAU went 7-14. Idaho State beat the Lumberjacks on the boards 18-9.
The Bengals opened the second half with an 18-7 run and never looked back. NAU brought the score to within 10 at 12:38 off a free throw shot by Stallon Saldivar but ISU started a 14-0 run at the 9:20 mark and widened the lead to 25, sealing a 78-62 victory.
“We knew that if we could get out and defend them, we could make it hard on them,” Martin said. “I think what happened was that we came out and got after them and they got a little down and then just folded the tent. That's what you want to do when you are a good defensive team. We have been working on that a lot in practice and if this team figures out a few more things and really bites into it, they could really have a lot of fun on that end of the floor.”
The Bengals are now tied for fifth in the Big Sky Conference with Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado. Idaho State faces the Bears Thursday, Jan. 26 in Holt Arena in its next contest. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
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