Bengals Fall to Eastern Washington in Overtime

Box Score

CHENEY, Wash. – Idaho State dropped a close contest to Eastern Washington 67-61 in overtime Thursday night in Cheney, Wash. The Bengals fall to 17-11 overall and 12-7 in Big Sky action while the Eagles take possession of third place with a 13-6 conference record.
 
Senior forward Ashleigh Vella led Idaho State with a double-double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Senior guard Kaela Oakes and junior guard Lindsey Reed also scored in double figures. Oakes had 15 points with three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Reed posted 13 points with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
 
Senior forward Jessa Jeppesen led the Bengals in rebounds, pulling down 11 on the night. Jeppesen also scored two points and had one assist.
 
“We played hard and put ourselves in position to win, but Eastern Washington made the plays in pivotal situations and we didn't,” ISU Head Coach Seton Sobolewski said.
 
Overall, the Bengals shot 35 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from 3-point range. ISU was 68 percent from the free throw line.
 
Idaho State led the Eagles 26-18 at the half and Reed led ISU with eight points. The Bengals did not allow Eastern Washington to score until after the first media timeout as ISU went on a 7-0 run to start the game. The Eagles regained the lead 15-14 at the 7:44 mark but ISU finished the half with an 11-4 run.
 
Eastern Washington came out of the locker room and opened a six-point lead on a 15-1 run to start the half. The Eagles extended their lead to eight (43-35) with 11:25 remaining in the game.
 
The Bengals quickly recovered and tied the game 43-43 with 7:43 remaining. The two squads battled back and forth from there on and finished regulation knotted at 53-53.
 
In overtime, The Bengals took a 57-55 lead on a pair of Oakes free throws but a 3-point shot by the game's high scorer Lexie Nelson spurred an EWU streak that gave the Eagles the win. Nelson ended the game with 24 points.
 
Idaho State faces Portland State Saturday at 3 p.m. in Portland, Ore. The contest is the last game of the regular season for Idaho State before heading to the Big Sky Tournament in Missoula, Mont., next week.