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BENGALS IN ACTION THIS WEEK
Idaho State (17-6, 9-1 BSC) hosts Northern Arizona at Reed Gym Thursday, Feb. 9 at 5:05 p.m. ISU then hits the road for a match-up against Portland State on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3:05 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 and
www.goviks.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.
LAST WEEK IN BENGAL BASKETBALL
Idaho State (17-6, 9-1 BSC) played its first overtime game of the 2011-12 season against Montana State. The Bengals led the Bobcats for nearly 32 minutes and held a 16-point lead late in the first half. MSU's Katie Bussey, scored 25 second-half points for a total of 41 points in the game, tying the Big Sky mark for single game points scored. Bussey tied the game at 65 with seven seconds left and helped push the Bobcats over the Bengals 67-79 in overtime. The Bengals rebounded on Monday, Feb. 7 against Montana, giving their best second-half performance in the last five games to route the Griz 54-48. Junior
Ashleigh Vella recorded her second double-double of the season during the contest with 11 boards and 10 points. Junior
Kaela Oakes led the scoring effort with 16 points.
BENGALS AND THE MID-MAJOR TOP 25
The Bengals are currently receiving votes on The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll. 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 485 career rebounds, junior forward
Ashleigh Vella is just 15 rebounds away from recording her 500th career rebound. This season, Vella has pulled down145 total rebounds and averages 6.3 per game. Vella has played in 83 total contests over her career as a Bengal, averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Vella is currently fifth in conference play for the 2011-12 season in offensive rebounds, averaging 2.9 per game.
BLOCK THAT SHOT
With 53 career blocks, sophomore forward
Cydney Horton is just five blocks away from becoming one of the best shot blockers in ISU history as she would move 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.
SOBOLEWSKI CONTINUES COACHING SUCCESS
This season is shaping up to be one of head coach
Seton Sobolewski's best years at Idaho State. With just one more win, Sobolewski and the Bengals will notch the 18th win of the 2011-12 season, tied for the most wins in a single season under Sobolewski and tied for the third most wins in a single season in program history. With one more conference win, Sobolewski will tie his career high of 10 wins.
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 209 points in 17 games this season, averaging 12.3 points per game. Over her career, Pickering has appeared in 89 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 1,097 points, Pickering is now the ninth highest scorer in program history.
SOLID OAKES
In Big Sky action, junior
Kaela Oakes is sixth in 3-point field goal percentage, as she is shooting .386 from beyond the arc. Oakes is also ninth in 3-point field goals made (1.7) and eighth in scoring (13.7). Not only is Oakes scoring well herself, she is also helping her teammates to produce numbers as she is seventh in conference play in assists, averaging 3.1 per game and is third in assist to turnover ratio (1.6).
PICKERING PICKING IT UP IN CONFERENCE PLAY
In the past few weeks, it seems as though whenever ISU has needed a basket, senior guard
Chelsea Pickering has stepped up and knocked it down. Against Northern Colorado on Jan. 26, Pickering scored 14 points, with 12 coming from 3-point shots. Whenever the Bears got into striking range, Pickering widened the gap with a shot from the trey. In conference play, Pickering is sixth in 3-point field goals made, averaging 2.0 per game. She is also 10th with a .333 3-point field goal shooting percentage and 11th in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game. With 119 made 3-point field goals in her career, Pickering is now tied for fourth on the all-time 3-point field goals made list. Pickering is tied for sixth on the all-time steals list with a career total of 145.
BENGALS RANKED IN BIG SKY
In conference games, ISU leads the Big Sky in scoring defense (55.4) and defensive rebound percentage (.724). Junior forward
Ashleigh Vella is sixth in free throw percentage (.806). Sophomore forward
Cydney Horton is eighth in both defensive (5.3) and offensive (2.6) rebounds.
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 competitors, Northern Arizona and Portland State, Sobolewski is 8-7. Sobolewski is 5-2 against Northern Arizona and is 3-5 against Portland State. At Reed Gym, Sobolewski is 4-0 against the Lumberjacks and is 0-3 versus the Vikings at the Stott Center. Sobolewski's career record at ISU is now 61-52 while he is 35-22 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 NORTHERN ARIZONA
The Lumberjacks are eighth in the Big Sky with a 2-9 conference record and a 7-16 overall record. Northern Arizona is 0-12 on the road this season. NAU is averaging 64.9 points per game for the year. Amy Patton leads NAU in scoring with 13.4 points per game and rebounds with 6.9 per contest. Patton is fourth in conference play, averaging 15.2 points per game.
LAST MEETING AND SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LUMBERJACKS
Idaho State leads the series between the two programs 30-26. The Bengals are 17-10 at home against NAU. Idaho State defeated Northern Arizona Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Rolle Activity Center off a strong defensive effort resulting in a 49-44 final decision. Defensively, Idaho State held the Lumberjacks to a 31.6 percent shooting percentage and forced 19 turnovers. Junior guard
Kaela Oakes recorded her seventh straight double-digit scoring contest as she led the Bengals with 12 points. Oakes also recorded one rebound, four assists and one steal for ISU in 38 minutes of play.
ABOUT PORTLAND STATE
Portland State is sixth in the Big Sky with a 5-5 conference record and a 13-9 overall record. PSU is 8-2 at home this season and 3-2 at home in conference action. The Vikings are averaging 70 points a game this year. Kate Lanz leads PSU with 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest. The Vikings are on a two-game winning streak. Lanz is third in conference action in scoring, averaging 16.4 points per game.
LAST MEETING AND SERIES HISTORY WITH THE VIKINGS
Idaho State leads the series between the two programs 23-20. The Bengals are 6-13 at Portland State. Idaho State defeated Portland State 78-63 Monday, Jan. 16 at Reed Gym. The win over the Vikings put 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.
We Are Your Bengals
