Box Score POCATELLO, Idaho – The ISU seniors got the win over visiting Sacramento State in their final game at Reed Gym Saturday afternoon. The Bengals defeated the Hornets 81-61 and were led by senior forwards
Jessa Jeppesen and
Ashleigh Vella.
Vella nearly had a triple-double as she recorded 17 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists while Jeppesen recorded her second career double-double with 17 points and career-high 13 rebounds. Vella's double-double was the eighth of her career.
With the win, Idaho State sweeps the season series with Sacramento State and improves to 17-10 overall and 12-6 in Big Sky play. Sacramento State falls to 16-11 overall and 11-7 in league action.
Senior guard
Kaela Oakes and junior forward
Cydney Horton also scored in double-figures in the contest. Oakes scored 12 of her 15 points in the first half alone. She also recorded three rebounds, one assist and one steal in the game. Horton posted 10 points with four rebounds and two blocks in just 16 minutes of action.
“I felt like Jessa played great in the second half,” ISU Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski said. “She finished around the basket and she did a great job of pulling down offensive rebounds, putting them back in, getting fouled and getting us opportunities for 3-point plays. I felt like Vella was one of the players who helped turn it around when we were sputtering. She started hitting shots and I think that got us going. Kaela was doing the same thing. She shot 50 percent for the game and she has had two great back-to-back games.”
All five seniors started in Saturday's match-up and every senior got on the board. Senior guard
Abyee Maracigan scored six points and had six rebounds, four assists, one block and a steal in 24 minutes of play while forward
Taylor Floyd scored four points with one assist and one steal.
The Bengals had a bit of a slow start in the first few minutes of the game and Sacramento State jumped out to a 20-9 lead with 11:47 remaining in the half. The Bengals answered back with a 17-4 run to take the lead with 4:30 remaining on a layup by Horton. From the 4:30 mark on, the Bengals outscored the Hornets 15-8 to go into the locker room up 41-32.
“Sacramento State was hot to start the game and did a great job hitting shots,” Sobolewski said. “On top of that, we turned the ball over and gave them some extra possessions. That's been the theme the last few games for us where we are bit like a diesel engine. We are cold at the beginning and tough to start, but once we get started, we do pretty well.”
Idaho State outscored Sacramento State 40-29 in the second half and led by as much as 28 points with less than three minutes left to play. The Bengals outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the paint and ISU's bench put up 22 points compared to Sacramento State's 18.
Idaho State out-rebounded SAC 47-34 and had 11 offensive rebounds that the Bengals converted into 15 points.
The ISU defense recorded six steals and forced 11 turnovers. ISU scored 13 points off of turnovers in the game.
Idaho State has now won three straight, defeating its last three opponents by a combined total of 72 points. ISU has won each of its last three contests by at least a 20-point margin.
ISU plays its final two regular season games on the road next week, including a big match-up with Eastern Washington as both squads are currently tied for third with 12-6 Big Sky records. The Bengals play the Eagles Thursday, March 7 followed by Portland State Saturday, March 9 at 3 p.m.
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