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POCATELLO, Idaho – With seven seconds remaining,
Tomas Sanchez drilled a game-winning jumper to cap off the Bengals' season with a 72-71 win over Portland State on Senior Night in Holt Arena. Idaho State finished the season with a 5-15 Big Sky Conference record and 6-24 overall.
Portland State was at the free throw line for a one-and-one attempt with 21 seconds remaining and leading 71-70. Junior forward Andre' Hatchett pulled down the rebound and gave it to Sanchez in transition. On the other end, senior guard
Melvin Morgan attempted a jumper with 11 seconds to go but it hit the front of the rim. Sanchez gathered the loose ball and quickly returned his own shot, drilling it with seven seconds remaining. Portland State missed their last-second attempt to give the Bengals the win.
“We were just playing for the worst, thinking he was going to make both,” said Sanchez, who finished the game with seven points and a team-high six assists. “The plan was to get a quick two. He missed the first one and coach said we weren't calling time out. It was the same play against Sac State at the end but I told Melvin I was going to come to him because it was senior night. I wanted him to win it. He missed it. I got a lucky tip and was in the right place at the right time.”
Sophomore guard
Chris Hansen led the Bengals in scoring with 16 points off of seven made shots, two coming from behind the 3-point line. Hatchett followed with 13 points while collecting seven rebounds.
In their final game as Idaho State Bengals, guard
Sherrod Baldwin and Morgan had 11 and 10 points, respectively. Morgan also had four assists. Senior forward Neveij Walter added nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Senior forward
Dejan Kostur had two points, four rebounds and one steal while senior center
Jakub Kusmieruk had two points, four rebounds and one block.
The Bengals dominated the boards with 43 rebounds to Portland State's 28. Eighteen of the Bengal's 43 rebounds came on the offensive end. The Bengals had 42 points in the paint to PSU's 26. The bench played a huge role in the win, pitching in 38 points to the winning total. Portland State's bench added only 12 to their total.
"We played with a lot of energy and a lot of toughness and a lot of enthusiasm,” Head Coach
Bill Evans said. "Usually when you rebound the ball on the offensive end it is about effort. Our guys worked really hard at it. We played good tonight, and Portland State played good tonight. It was a good game.”
The game was tightly-contested throughout with neither team able to lead by more than seven points. The Bengals led the game one time in the first half after a Morgan 3-pointer gave them the 24-23 advantage with 5:37 to play. Idaho State managed to tie up the game just once. By halftime, the Bengals trailed 35-32.
To start the second half, Hansen drilled a 3-pointer at the 19:33 mark to tie the game at 35. From then on, the lead changed hands three times and was tied seven times. ISU's largest lead of the game was by five points and trailed to Portland State at most by six.
“It feels good for me as a coach for our guys to come out with a win,” said Evans about his seniors' last game. “We all did a good job contributing tonight and I hope that they will always be Bengals.”
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