GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | AUDIO | TICKETS | VIDEO
BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (19-6, 11-1 BSC) hosts Weber State at Reed Gym Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2:05 p.m. Fans can listen in to the game by tuning into 91.1 FM KISU or clicking on the audio streaming link at
www.isubengals.com. Live stats are availabe at
www.isubengals.com. Video is available at
www.b2livetv.com.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT BERTH
Conference-leading Idaho State has clinched a spot in the 2012 Big Sky Conference Tournament. This is the fourth straight time ISU has qualified for the conference tournament under ISU Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski and the ninth straight year overall, a program record. Second-ranked Eastern Washington (15-9, 9-2 BSC) has also earned a tournament berth. Montana State, Northern Colorado and Montana have also secured a spot.
LAST WEEK IN BENGAL BASKETBALL
Idaho State (19-6, 11-1 BSC) defeated Northern Arizona at home in Reed Gym on Thursday, Feb. 9 in a 62-54 decision. Sophomore guard
Lindsey Reed led ISU with 23 points, tying her season-best performance. Reed went 5-for-9 from the field and added 12 from the free throw line. Idaho State also defeated Portland State on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Portland, edging the Vikings 70-59. Sophomore forward
Cydney Horton recorded her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Horton also recorded two assists, one steal and three blocks.
WHITE OUT WEBER
It is time again to White Out Weber. Fans can receive $2 general admission tickets for wearing white to this Saturday's game against the Wildcats. There will also be free t-shirts for the first 500 students with a valid Bengal card who attend the game.
BENGALS ON THE MID-MAJOR TOP 25
The Bengals are currently No. 23 on the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The Bengals earned 107 points in the poll and are ahead of No. 24 South Dakota State and No. 25 Wichita State. ISU was previously ranked No. 25 on Jan. 21. The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Great West, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast.
VELLA CLOSING IN ON 500TH REBOUND MARK
With 494 career rebounds, junior forward
Ashleigh Vella is just six rebounds away from recording her 500th career rebound. This season, Vella has pulled down 154 total rebounds and averages 6.2 per game. Vella has played in 85 total contests over her career as a Bengal, averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Vella is currently tied for fifth in conference play for the 2011-12 season in offensive rebounds, averaging 2.7 per game.
BLOCK THAT SHOT
With 59 career blocks, sophomore forward
Cydney Horton has become one of the best shot blockers in ISU history as she moves onto the ISU all-time top 10 blocked shots list, replacing Alison Verona who ended her career with 57. Mandi Carver owns the career record with 180. Horton is currently tied for sixth in blocks in Big Sky action, averaging 1.2 per game.
SOBOLEWSKI CONTINUES COACHING SUCCESS
This season is shaping up to be one of head coach
Seton Sobolewski's best years at Idaho State. With the win over Portland State, Sobolewski and the Bengals notched the 19th overall and 11th conference win of the 2011-12 season, the most overall and league wins in a single season under Sobolewski. With just one more win on the season, Sobolewski and the Bengals will have tied for second for the most wins in a single season in program history. The last time ISU had 20 wins in one season was the 2003-04 season under head coach Jon Newlee.
PICKERING HITS 1,000 CAREER POINT MARK
With 10:33 remaining in the first half against Montana on Jan. 7, Pickering hit a jumper to break the 1,000-point barrier in her career. Pickering finished the contest with 12 points for a total of 1,007 points. Pickering has scored 229 points in 19 games this season, averaging 12.1 points per game. Over her career, Pickering has appeared in 91 total contests and averages 12.3 points per game. During the 2010-11 season, Pickering scored a career-high 487 points during the season, the seventh most points scored in a single season in program history. With a current total of 1,117 points, Pickering is now the ninth highest scorer in program history.
SOLID OAKES
In Big Sky action, junior
Kaela Oakes is fourth in 3-point field goal percentage, as she is shooting .396 from beyond the arc. Oakes is also ninth in 3-point field goals made (1.8) and ninth in scoring (13.3). Oakes is also ninth in free throw percentage, shooting .780 in league play. Not only is Oakes scoring well herself, she is also helping her teammates to produce numbers as she is ninth in conference play in assists, averaging 2.8 per game.
PICKERING PICKING IT UP IN CONFERENCE PLAY
In conference play, Pickering is eighth in 3-point field goals made, averaging 1.8 per game. With 121 made 3-point field goals in her career, Pickering is fourth on the all-time 3-point field goals made list. Pickering is sixth on the all-time steals list with a career total of 146.
BENGALS RANKED IN BIG SKY
In conference games, ISU leads the Big Sky in scoring defense (55.6), rebound margin (+6.1) and defensive rebound percentage (.723). Junior forward
Ashleigh Vella is sixth in free throw percentage (.814) and tied for fifith in offensive rebounds (2.7). Sophomore forward
Cydney Horton is fifth in rebounds, averaging 8.3 per game and seventh in defensive rebounds (5.8).
OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
The Bengals started the 2011-12 conference season at 8-0 before Montana State broke ISU's nine-game winning streak on Feb. 2 when the Bobcats handed ISU its first conference loss of the season in a 79-67 overtime decision. Idaho State has not started conference at 8-0 since the 2000-01 season. That same season Idaho State went 25-5 overall and 16-0 in Big Sky play. The Bengals defeated Montana 68-59 in the final round of the conference tournament for the Big Sky Championship.
SOBOLEWSKI HITS CAREER MILESTONE
With the win against Montana on Jan. 7, ISU Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski has now defeated every team in the Big Sky Conference over the course of his four-season career at ISU. Against ISU's upcoming competitor, Weber State, Sobolewski is 3-3. At Reed Gym, Sobolewski is 2-1 against the Wildcats. Sobolewski's career record at ISU is now 63-52 while he is 37-22 in Big Sky action.
OAKES EARNS CO-BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior
Kaela Oakes was named co-Big Sky Player of the Week for her performances against Montana State and Montana. Against Montana State, Oakes led ISU with 18 points. Oakes knocked down four shots from beyond the arc and went 6-15 from the field. Oakes also posted two rebound, four assists and threee steals. Oakes also hit a pair of pressure free throws late in the second half to help secure ISU's 59-58 victory. Against Montana, Oakes showed consistency in her play as she once again led the Bengals with 18 points. She also recorded two rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Oakes was also named Bengal Athlete of the Week for her performances against the Bobcats and the Griz. So far this season, Oakes has also been named to the Air Force Classic All-Tournament Team and named College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week. Oakes was also named Bengal Athlete of the Week on Dec. 12.
ABOUT WEBER STATE
The Wildcats are ninth in the Big Sky with a 0-12 conference record and a 2-23 overall record. Northern Arizona is 0-13 on the road this season. WSU is averaging 63.2 points per game for the year and 61.0 in conference play. Amanda Hughes leads the Wildcats in scoring with 10.7 points per game and rebounds with 8.9 per contest. Hughes' 10.9 rebounds per game in conference action is ranked second in the Big Sky.
LAST MEETING AND SERIES HISTORY WITH THE WILDCATS
Weber State leads the series between the two programs 42-30. The Bengals are 15-18 at home against WSU. Idaho State narrowly defeated Weber State 54-52 on Saturday, Jan. 28. ISU outscored the Wildcats 37-19 in the first half, but poor shooting in the second half allowed WSU back into the game. Sophomore guard
Lindsey Reed scored the game-winning layup with 11 seconds left to seal the victory. Senior guard
Chelsea Pickering led Idaho State with 12 points in the contest. Junior guard
Kaela Oakes and Reed also scored in double digits with each chipping in 10. Sophomore forward
Cydney Horton led the rebound effort with eight on the afternoon.
