Game Notes | Listen Live | Watch Live | Live Stats
POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State women's basketball team opens the 2016-17 season Friday, Nov. 11 in Santa Clara, Calif. as the Bengals face West Coast Conference foe Santa Clara at 2 p.m. MST. It will be the first time since 1988 the Idaho State has faced the Broncos.
SCOUTING SANTA CLARA
Santa Clara returns for the 2016-17 season after a successful 2015-16 campaign that saw the squad advance to postseason play for the first time in 10 years. Last season, the Broncos won 23 games, the most since 1997-98, and they finished tied for third in the WCC with 13 conference wins, which ties a program record.
This season, the Broncos return three prominent players in Marie Bertholdt (11.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg), Lori Parkinson (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Morgan McGwire (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg), but welcome six new faces to the squad.
In their first two exhibition contests, the Broncos have averaged 83.5 points per game with 42.5 rebounds per game with 24.0 assists per game. Santa Clara has shot 45.7 percent through both contests and has had at least four players in double-figure scoring in each game.
The Broncos are led by first-year Head Coach Bill Carr.
SERIES REVIEW
Santa Clara leads the series 2-0 as the Broncos bested the Bengals 85-75 at a neutral site on Jan. 4, 1986 followed by a 76-55 win in Santa Clara, Calif. two years later on Jan. 4, 1988.
BENGALS AT A GLANCE
Idaho State returns seven players, including three starters, from last season's Big Sky Conference championship team. The Bengals finished with an 18-15 overall record, including an 8-10 mark in conference play, good for ninth. ISU went on a tear to finish conference play, winning seven of its last 10 games including a 52-50 upset win over No. 1 Montana State in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament.
The Bengals lost nearly 40 percent of their scoring offense with the departure of
Anna Policicchio (12.0 ppg) and
Apiphany Woods (12.7 ppg), but they return redshirt sophomore
Grace Kenyon who returns after a year hiatus due to injury. During Kenyon's redshirt freshman year in 2014-15, she led the team in rebounding at 6.6 per game and ranked second in scoring at 10.4.
This season, the Bengals were picked to finish sixth in the Big Sky Conference in both the coaches and media polls.
Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski is in his ninth season with the program and carries a 131-117 overall record (.528) and has led the team to one NCAA tournament berth and two WNIT tournament appearances.
FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE
Friday's game can be followed live online via video, audio and live stats, or fans can tune into KISU 91.1 FM to listen to a live broadcast.
For live audio, click
here.
For live video, click
here.
For live stats, click
here.
